Trial And Error
by Fae'sFlower
Summary: When Prince Fiyero Tigulaar has to travel to Munchkinland for a meeting with the Governor on behalf of his family, the last thing he expected to do was fall in love. The future of both countries' economies isn't the only thing at stake. AU. Fiyeraba. Winner tied 2nd place Best General in 2017 Greg Awards.
1. The Prince of the Vinkus

**Hello, everyone! I have completed my first year of college and I am back to writing! I have hit a bit of writer's block with TSoP (I know what I want to happen, I'm just having trouble writing it down on the page), but don't worry. I will complete that story! I just need to step back and take a little break from it. But now it's new story time! I have up to chapter 13 currently written, and the creative juices are really flowing with this story, so we should be very regular with updates for a while.**

 **Also, I would like to dedicate this story to my very bestest _Wicked_ friend, Ultimate Queen of Cliffies (aka: Maddy). This is in honor of our special one short day in NYC and seeing _Wicked_ on Broadway together! :-)**

* * *

"I don't want to go!"

"You have to! It's your duty!"

"Make Lyanna go!"

"She can't, Fiyero, and you know why!"

"She's just pregnant! I don't understand why she can't do things for herself."

"Isn't that my line?"

"Lyanna, you are not helping."

"Raal, please talk some sense into your son."

Prince Fiyero Tigulaar growled under his breath. This wasn't the first time he, his parents, and his older sister were having this argument. "Technically, it's Lyanna's job to visit the other countries and make trade agreements with them. Isn't that what the crown princess is supposed to do?"

"You have duties as the prince, too, Fiyero," the king, Raal, sighed, having said that same sentence a thousand times before.

"And you also don't have a _person_ growing inside of you," Lyanna said as she slowly lowered herself into an armchair, assisted by her mother.

"You can't use that for everything!" Fiyero argued.

Lyanna narrowed her eyes and was about to say something else when the baby gave her ribs a hard kick and she grunted, clutching her stomach. "Now look! You're upsetting the baby!"

"Fiyero, please," Raal begged. It wasn't very kingly to beg for something, but he was becoming desperate… and tired. "Please just do this."

Fiyero sighed, but rolled his eyes in conceit. "What do I have to do?"

"If you were paying attention, you would know," Raal said under his breath, and his wife nudged him in the side. "You will go to Munchkinland, meet with Governor Thropp, and secure a trade agreement for wool, silk, and corn with them."

"I don't understand why you can't just write to him. That would be easier."

"Because it's not proper protocol. Since we initiated the trade, it would be proper for us to go visit and see how the items we are requesting are manufactured. So that means that you will have to learn about Munchkin culture, history, and business."

"I can't do that!" the prince protested, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You're right. He can't. Look, once I have this baby, I'll do the trade agreement," Lyanna said as she shifted her weight.

"That's the first good idea you've had in a while," Fiyero deadpanned.

"At least it's more than I can say about you."

"Fiyero, Lyanna, that's enough," Amalie snapped, having heard enough of her children arguing. "Lyanna, I want you to go upstairs and lie down. Don't argue; just go. And Fiyero, you will be leaving in three days, so I suggest you start getting ready now and not leave it until the last minute."

"Yes, Mother," both royal children said and Amalie helped her daughter up.

"Fiyero, help your sister up the stairs."

"Mother, I can go –"

"Didn't I just tell you not to argue?"

Lyanna didn't look happy, and neither did Fiyero, but they slowly walked up the stairs in silence.

* * *

Nessarose Thropp wheeled down the halls of the Governor's Mansion, a ham and cheese sandwich in her lap. She stopped in front of a closed door and knocked three times. Silence answered her back and she tried again. Still silence. Sighing, she reached for the knob and pushed the door open, wheeling inside.

"Fabala," she said softly, wheeling closer to her where her sister was sitting at her desk.

The emerald-skinned girl didn't even look up, or make any move of acknowledgment.

"Elphaba," Nessa tried again, lightly shaking her sister's arm.

Elphaba startled slightly, clearly not even paying attention to her sister's presence, and sighed. "Yes, Nessa?"

"I brought you a sandwich."

"I'm not hungry."

"I didn't ask if you were hungry."

"And I didn't ask you for a sandwich."

"You missed both breakfast and lunch today."

"I'm not hungry."

"For Oz sakes, Elphaba," Nessa growled as she placed the sandwich on the desk. "Just eat the sandwich! Now!"

"I have too much work to do."

"Eat it before I shove it down your throat!"

Elphaba glared at her sister, but grabbed the sandwich and took a small bite before placing it back on the plate. "Satisfied?"

"No," Nessa huffed, but slowly softened. "When will you be finished?"

"Much quicker if you stop bothering me."

Nessa recoiled. "I'm sorry. I won't bother you anymore," she said softly, turning to wheel away.

"Nessa, wait!" Elphaba called when her sister was at the door. Taking off her glasses and rubbing her tired eyes, she slid her spectacles back onto her nose as she pushed herself to her feet. "I'm sorry," she said, walking over to her sister and, kneeling in front of her, took her hands. "I've just been… I've had… I…"

"You don't have to explain, Fabala. I understand. I'm sorry."

"I know I haven't been spending a lot of time with you since… I'll make it up to you. I promise. In fact, let's spend some time together right now."

"Now?"

"Yes."

"But… don't you have…"

"That can wait. You come first."

"Fabala –"

But Elphaba had stopped listening as she pushed her sister out of the room and out into the gardens. Nessa looked up at her sister, but Elphaba avoided her gaze as she pushed her down the path. The brunette sighed as the late May breeze whipped through her hair. She felt bad for everything her sister had to go through. She was still so young. She didn't deserve anything that had happened to her. She just deserved to…

"What did you learn in your lessons today?" Elphaba asked casually, yet softly.

"Oh… um… nothing much."

"Nothing much? I'm paying for you to have private tutors who are teaching you 'nothing much'?"

Nessa could hear the slight playfulness in her sister's voice and smiled softly. "I learned about the Great Ixian War."

"Who were the two sides?"

"Ev and the Lesser Ix."

"When was it?"

"150 AL to 143 AL."

"How did it start?"

"The younger daughter of the king of Ix was kidnapped and forced to marry the prince of Ev. Then she got pregnant and died shortly after that."

Elphaba smiled. "Very good. How was the war resolved?"

"Fabala!"

"Yes?"

"I don't want to talk about schoolwork anymore."

"Then what do you want to talk about?"

"I don't know. Just… something else."

The two sisters were silent for a moment, looking out over the patches of flowers and vegetables.

"When is Prince Fiyero coming?" Nessa asked, watching as a butterfly landed on a nearby flower.

"In three days. And he'll stay here for around a week and a half."

"How exciting. A real prince."

"Don't get your hopes up, Nessie. Prince Fiyero has a reputation that isn't exactly very… reputable."

"What do you mean?"

"He's known for being irresponsible, throwing parties, and not caring a twig about his future."

"He sounds like fun," Nessa giggled.

"He will be here for business, or at least, that what the letter from his parents said. They have, for some reason, entrusted him with this agreement and to 'rest assured, he will be on his very best behavior'."

"Will you two be working together the whole time?"

"I'm not sure. Why?"

"I could give him a tour of the town."

Elphaba gave her younger sister a sideways look. "Nessa, I don't want you going anywhere with Prince Fiyero, especially alone."

"Why not?"

"First, we don't know him. Second, he's not the most... responsible person. Third, even if he was, he's much too old for you."

"How old is he?"

Elphaba smirked. "You don't even know how old he is and you want to give him a tour?"

Nessa pouted.

"He's nineteen."

"Then he's much too old for you! You're only eighteen!"

"And _you're_ only sixteen," Elphaba said, but playfully ruffled her sister's hair.

"Fabala?"

"Yes."

"You're only eighteen."

"I thought we just established how old I am."

"You're not old. You're young."

It took a while for what Nessa really meant to sink in, and when it did, Elphaba forced a smile onto her face. "I'm fine."

"You should be at Shiz right now."

"I'm fine, Nessa."

"You should be learning from some of the best professors in all of Oz and impressing them with your knowledge and –"

"I know, Nessa! I said I was fine!" Elphaba snapped.

Nessa looked wide-eyed at her sister, her face a mixture of shock and hurt. Elphaba never raised her voice at her before, especially not after… Tears slowly began to well in her eyes and roll down her cheek.

The green girl quickly realized her mistake and instantly felt horrible. "Oh, Nessa. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you like that." She knelt down and gently pulled her sister into a hug, stroking her hair as she kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry."

Nessa melted into her sister's arms as her quiet cries slowly died down.

"I'll make dinner tonight," Elphaba said in a weak attempt to cheer her sister up. "What would you like?"

Nessa looked up at her sister, her eyes still watery. "You don't have any work to finish up?"

"That can wait."

"Fabala –"

"Do you want pasta or chicken?"

"… Could you put the chicken in the pasta?"

Elphaba smiled. "Of course."

"And can we go out for ice cream afterwards?"

"We can do whatever you want, Nessie."

The brunette's lips twitched as she agreed. Elphaba smiled and, kissing her forehead, stood up to push her back into the house.

Dinner that evening was a mostly quiet affair. The two Thropp sisters talked; well, Nessa ended up doing most of the talking, while Elphaba simply sat in silence, listening and eating. The brunette noticed that her sister looked exhausted and said that she would take a rain check on the ice cream.

"But you wanted to get ice cream," Elphaba said, confused.

"You're exhausted, Fabala," Nessa said gently.

"Nessa, I can –"

"But I don't want you to. You had a very busy day today and you need to rest. Please."

Elphaba regarded her sister for a moment. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I want you to start taking better care of yourself… and not just for the two of us."

Elphaba paused, then nodded slightly. "Alright."

Nessa smiled. "Thank you, Fabala."

* * *

"Are you ready, Fiyero?" Amalie asked as made sure her son packed everything for his journey.

"No," Fiyero grumbled.

"Then get ready," Raal said as he came into the room with Lyanna and her husband, Luceen, behind him. "I trust that you will not embarrass this family -or this country- while you're there, Fiyero."

"At least not more than you already have," Lyanna quipped.

"Not helping, Lyanna," Amalie said through gritted teeth.

"It's true."

"No, she's right. I am an embarrassment, so why would I even bother to go in the first place?" Fiyero huffed.

"You have your gift for the governor, right?" Amalie asked, ignoring her son's statement.

"Yes."

"Good." Raal and Amalie sighed. "Fiyero, just… please. Do this for us."

"Fine," the prince sighed, saying goodbye to his family before dragging his feet out to the carriage.

The four royals watched as the carriage drove away. Lyanna excused herself to lay down, and Luceen went with her.

"Did you tell Fiyero?" Amalie asked, glancing at her husband.

"Tell him about what?"

Amalie gave him a pointed look. "You know what -or _who_ \- I'm talking about."

"No, I didn't tell him. If he did his research like we told him to, he would know."

"You know he didn't."

"Then he'll learn when he gets there."

* * *

 **Well, that was the first chapter! Reviews are most appreciated!**


	2. Governor Thropp

**Thank you for all of your reviews! I can't wait to share the rest of this story with all of you!**

* * *

Nessa chatted happily with her sister as they ate breakfast one Sunday morning. Prince Fiyero was due to arrive by late that afternoon, and that was all Nessa could talk about.

"I heard that if you look into his eyes, you can see the ocean," Nessa said, giggling as she sipped her tea.

"Mmhmm," Elphaba hummed, only half listening.

"And that he always brings three roses when he goes on a date. I will have to ask him why he does that."

"Mmhmm."

" _And_ I heard that…" Nessa paused, realizing that her sister wasn't even listening to her. "Fabala, are you even listening to me?"

"Mmhmm."

Nessa gave her a look. "Does this dress make me look fat?"

"Mmhmm."

"Elphaba!"

Elphaba snapped out of her daydream. "I'm sorry, Nessa. Were you saying something?"

The brunette sighed and rolled her eyes. "Juna was very coarse with my hair this morning. It's like she thinks I don't have any feeling in my scalp."

Elphaba bit back a smile. "I'm sorry, Nessie."

"I like it better when you do my hair."

Elphaba swallowed her food. "I… I know. I'm sorry. Once things settle down, I'll –"

"When will they settle down?"

The green girl paused briefly. "I… I don't know."

"It's been five months."

"It feels like much longer."

Nessa nodded and looked down at her empty plate. "Are you excited?"

"For what?"

"What do you mean 'for what'? For your first royal visit, of course!"

"Oh." Elphaba seemed completely unfazed. "I suppose."

"Come on, Fabala. You have to admit, it is pretty exciting. The prince of the Vinkus is actually coming here to Colwen Grounds!"

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Elphaba took the empty dishes and put them in the sink. She pushed her sister into the parlor, where Nessa immediately rolled next to the sofa and reached for a book on the coffee table. Elphaba sat down on the sofa next to her and began to read the morning paper.

"Remember when the Duke of Weterturn came to visit Father?" Nessa mused, clearly still wanting to talk to her sister. "He brought all those rare pearls as a gift. There were so shiny and sparkly. I wonder what Prince Fiyero will bring."

"Hopefully his notes for drafting the trade agreement."

"You know that's not what I meant."

"Nessa, you know I've never been very fond of gifts."

"Then… whatever he brings… may I have it?"

Elphaba chuckled softly. "Of course you can."

Nessa beamed. "And what did you get for him?"

Elphaba blinked. "Was I supposed to get him something?"

Nessa closed the book and slapped her sister's arm, rather hard, with it. "Don't even joke about such things, Elphaba Thropp! What did you get Prince Fiyero as a welcome present?"

"You'll just have to wait and find out," Elphaba said as she rubbed her now-sore arm.

"You didn't get him anything, did you?"

"We can run and get him a gift certificate to the Corn Exchange Ice Cream Parlor."

"Fabala!"

"What? That ice cream is good."

"I'm pretty sure they have ice cream in the Vinkus."

"Not Munchkin ice cream."

Nessa stared at her sister before going back to her book. Elphaba glanced over at her and smiled. Even though a lot had changed, one thing would never change; her love of playfully teasing her sister.

* * *

Apart from sleeping and looking out the window, Fiyero was quite bored on his journey to Munchkinland. He had wanted to stop in the Emerald City, but his driver, Avaric, knew better.

"Fiyero, if we stop in the Emerald City, you would disappear off to Oz-knows-where and we would never get to Munchkinland," Avaric had pointed out.

"So you see my point?" Fiyero said with a slight smirk, but Avaric didn't budge as they passed the off-road leading to the Emerald City.

"We're almost there," Avaric announced around two hours later.

"Yay," Fiyero deadpanned, already beginning to fall asleep. He had seemingly just closed his eyes when Avaric announced their arrival at Colwen Grounds. "Already?"

"Fiyero… we've been driving for almost six hours."

The prince grumbled something and opened the door, climbing out and stretching his legs as Avaric got his bag. Gulping down the lump in his throat, he slowly made his way up the stairs to the front door. Before he had a chance to knock, the door opened and a middle-aged man came into view.

"Ah, Prince Fiyero," he said with a slight bow. "Right on schedule. I am Kharles Furton, assistant to the Governor. Come in."

He moved aside and Fiyero walked in, taking in his new surroundings. Avaric handed the bag to the man and said a quick goodbye to the prince before hurrying back to the carriage and driving away. Fiyero was led into the parlor and told to make himself comfortable until the governor arrived.

Biting back a sigh, Fiyero figured that he should at least try to make a good impression. He didn't even want to think about what his parents would say if they got a bad report from the governor.

He tried to think about what he remembered about Governor Thropp. He had visited the Vinkus, but that was when he was a child, so he didn't remember much of it. He just remembered a bald man wearing brown robes with gold trimming, and even that was a blurry image. There were rumors and stories surrounding the Thropps, but he couldn't remember any details at the moment. He should have asked his sister. She would have remembered more.

"Prince Fiyero," Mr. Furton said and the prince whipped around. "May I present Her Eminence, Governor Elphaba Thropp and her younger sister, Miss Nessarose."

Fiyero blinked as two figures came into view. One was in a wheelchair and looked like a teenager, who Fiyero figured was Nessarose. The other figure was pushing the wheelchair, her eyes staring directly at Fiyero. But what wasn't what made him uncomfortable. What made him uncomfortable was her green skin.

"Madame Governor, may I present Prince Fiyero Tigulaar of the Vinkus," Mr. Furton said with a respectful nod to Elphaba.

The three of them looked at each other in an uncomfortable silence. Fiyero was certain that the governor hadn't been a girl… or green. Now he was confused. What was going on? Was he being pranked? If he was, this most definitely wasn't funny.

"Welcome to Munchkinland, Prince Fiyero," the green girl finally said with a slight curtsy.

"Welcome, Prince Fiyero," the wheelchair-bound girl said with a slight nod.

"You… you're the governor?" Fiyero asked, looking at Elphaba.

"Yes, I am. Is there a problem?" Elphaba asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

Fiyero looked between the two… sisters, was it? He opened his mouth to say something, but all that came out was a dumb sounding, "Uhhhhh".

The younger girl bit back a giggle, but the governor didn't look amused in the least. She frowned and narrowed her eyes slightly, clearly judging him.

"Uh… yes, I mean… no… I mean… um… thank you for hosting me," Fiyero said, not recovering as quickly as he would have liked.

"Of course. A new trade agreement between Munchkinland and the Vinkus is crucial for both of our economies," Elphaba began diplomatically, already deciding to ignore what had just happened.

"Elphaba, don't you think that Prince Fiyero might be tired from his trip and would like to rest before dinner?" Nessa asked, smiling shyly at the prince.

Elphaba looked down at her sister, then back at Fiyero. "Of course. Juna!"

A young maid rushed into the room and curtsied. "Yes, Your Governorship?"

"Please show Prince Fiyero to where he will be staying."

Another curtsy. "Of course, ma'am. Follow me please, Your Highness."

Fiyero nodded and followed the maid out of the room, leaving the sisters alone.

"He's very eloquent," Elphaba sighed, clearly unhappy.

"Oh, Fabala. He's probably just exhausted."

"Well, the green sure woke him up."

"Fabala!"

"What?"

Nessa rolled her eyes. "What do you think he brought as a gift?"

"I'll be surprised if he even remembered."

"I hope it's some of that soft silk. Or maybe some Vinkun chocolates. Or maybe it's one of those glass –"

"You will find out after dinner, Nessie," Elphaba chuckled, kissing her sister's forehead.

Dinner was a lively affair. Nessa practically bombarded Fiyero with questions about the Vinkus, his family, his life as a prince, and everything else she could think of that related to the Vinkus. Elphaba barely interjected, instead choosing to focus on her plate. If Fiyero noticed, since Nessa was taking up all of his attention, he didn't say anything.

Once dinner was over, the trio moved back to the parlor for dessert and the gift exchange.

"Is that chocolate pie?" Fiyero asked, seeing the dessert on the coffee table.

"Yes. It's a chocolate pie, but's it's also made with caramel, vanilla, and a hint of coffee," Elphaba said as she cut three slices.

Fiyero took the dessert and ate a fork full. He instantly smiled at how sweet it was. He could taste the hint of coffee, almost completely drowned out by the chocolate and caramel. "This is good."

"Thank you," Elphaba said, not really eating her pie.

Nessa took a bite and paused. "Elphaba, is this… did you…"

"I did," Elphaba said, already knowing what her sister was going to ask.

But Nessa finished her question anyway. "You used Mama's recipe?"

"I did."

Fiyero listened to the sister's exchange, but didn't comment. Did Elphaba make the dessert? Once dessert was over, Elphaba excused herself, but quickly returned with a dark blue box in her hand. Fiyero quickly realized what it was time to do.

"Oh, mine's in my… I'll go get it now," he said quickly as he rushed out of the room. He quickly returned and Elphaba offered him her gift first, since she was the host.

Fiyero thanked her and opened the box, revealing a brown, wool scarf with the official seal of Munchkinland. He thanked her and offered her his gift. Elphaba opened the box and gasped audibly, seeing a large shiny blue diamond gleaming back at her. Her eyes widened and sparkled in delight as she gently examined the jewel.

"It's… beautiful," she whispered as she gently closed the case. "Thank you, Prince Fiyero."

Fiyero bowed slightly and smiled. Now the governor would write a good report about him to his parents.

Nessa yawned and excused herself, and Elphaba took the hint. "I'll leave you to retire for the night. Tomorrow, I will give you a tour."

"Of Munchkinland?" Fiyero blinked.

This time, Nessa actually laughed out loud, but quickly stopped herself. Elphaba looked at him, wondering if he was actually serious or not. His confused face told her that he was, in fact, serious and she sighed. "No. Not all of Munchkinland. You'd be here all month. Just the nearby town."

Something in her voice told Fiyero that the governor really didn't want him to stay longer than he had to. He was really rubbing against her rough edges, and knew she didn't like it one bit. He then made it his personal mission to get her to soften up, especially around him. It shouldn't be too hard. After all, all the ladies loved him.

"May I come too, Elphaba?" Nessa asked hopefully, hoping the presence of a guest would get her sister to say 'yes'.

"We'll see," Elphaba said, though she already knew the answer to _that_ question. "Goodnight, Prince Fiyero."

"Goodnight, Your Governorship. Goodnight, Miss Nessarose," Fiyero said with a slight bow.

"Goodnight, Prince Fiyero," Nessa blushed.

Elphaba quickly grabbed the handles of her sister's wheelchair and pushed her out of the room. Fiyero watched the two go. He was _definitely_ going to get the governor to soften up.

"He's even more handsome in person, Fabala," Nessa giggled as Elphaba helped her into bed that night.

"I'm sure you think so, Nessie," Elphaba said softly, tucking her sister in and grabbing her teddy bear from the foot of the bed.

"I don't need that anymore," Nessa said.

"You don't?" Elphaba asked curiously.

"No."

"Okay. Then I guess you won't mind me taking him for the night," Elphaba said, fighting a smile as she slowly walked towards the door.

"Wait!" Nessa called when her sister reached the door. "Give me back Mr. Bobo!"

Elphaba chuckled as she returned the bear to its proper place in her sister's arms. "Goodnight, Nessie."

"Goodnight, Fabala," Nessa smiled. "And Fabala?"

"Yes?"

"You can keep Prince Fiyero's present."

"But I promised I would give it to you."

"I saw the way your eyes lit up when you saw it. Plus, the present was meant for you. You should keep it."

Elphaba regarded her sister and smiled softly. "Thank you, Nessa."

Nessa smiled. "Fabala?"

"Yes?"

"Will you sing to me?"

Elphaba nodded as she sat on the edge of her sister's bed and sang the lullaby she had sung to her since she was a little girl. It was a lullaby their mother used to sing and it comforted Elphaba every time she sang it. It was almost like their mother was still there, singing to both of her daughters.

* * *

 **Yes, Elphaba is the Governor of Munchkinland and not Nessa. We will find out why and how that happened later.**


	3. The Statue

**Satilliteheart: I don't think the Fiyeraba drags out for too long, but there are different circumstances and obstacles in the way for them.**

 **Ultimate Queen of Cliffies: We'll find out what happened to Frex later, and why Elphaba is the governor. And I miss your writing, too!**

* * *

The next morning, Elphaba was the first one awake. She never considered herself a morning person, especially since she hated getting up early. But it was now part of her job. She especially hated Mondays, since it meant the start of another week as governor. At Shiz, she had loved Mondays, especially since it meant being in a classroom learning after two days off. She made it a point to never stop learning as much as she could, since she knew her time there would be limited. She would spend her weekends studying, especially while everyone else was at one type of party or another.

Sighing, she sat up in her bed and yawned. She remembered that she was hosting the Vinkun prince, and secretly wished that it was just a bad dream. Deep down, she knew that it wasn't and decided to get ready for the day, which was – no doubt – going to be an interesting one.

After brushing her teeth and showering, she put on a dark blue dress and a matching blazer before slipping on her flats and going to her sister's room. "Good morning, Nessa," she smiled, seeing her sister already up and dressed.

The brunette turned and smiled. "Good morning, Fabala."

"You're up early."

Nessa blushed and shrugged.

"Are you ready for your lessons today?"

The brunette's face fell slightly. "Oh. Yes."

Elphaba smirked. "Although, I don't suppose you want to come along with Prince Fiyero and me on the tour?"

Nessa looked at her sister pleadingly. "Please, Fabala?"

Elphaba couldn't deny her sister anything, and Nessa knew it, and used it to her advantage. In all honesty, she knew she shouldn't do that to her sister, but she couldn't help it. She was so used to rarely hearing the word 'no', and always getting her way. But a lot had changed. She knew her sister was trying her hardest to do everything she could for her, and she didn't mean to be selfish, but she knew she was, anyway.

"You can come, Nessie."

The brunette's face lit up. "Really?"

Elphaba nodded. "I've already informed your tutor that you requested the day off today and will study extra hard for tomorrow."

Nessa squealed and quickly wheeled over to her sister. Elphaba smiled and knelt down for the hug she knew was coming. "Oh, thank you, Fabala!"

"Of course, Nessie. Let's go eat breakfast," the green girl said as she stepped behind her sister's chair and pushed her out of the room.

As they were walking out, Elphaba noticed Fiyero out of the corner of her eye. Maybe if she pretended not to notice him, he wouldn't say anything.

But there was no such luck. Nessa noticed him and brightened. "Good morning, Prince Fiyero."

"Good morning, Miss Nessarose," Fiyero smiled, then looked at Elphaba. "Good morning, Your Governorship."

"Good morning, Your Highness," Elphaba said with a slight nod. "Are you ready for today?"

"Today?" Fiyero blinked.

"We're touring the nearby town after breakfast," Nessa offered brightly.

"Oh, yes. Of course."

Elphaba resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she pushed her sister into the dining room. Once the three of them were seated, the maids served breakfast and they began to eat. Nessa said a quiet blessing over her food and looked at her sister, who had already started eating. The brunette frowned slightly, but knew better than to get her sister started on religion at the breakfast table. She didn't want to embarrass her in front of foreign royal company.

As they finished eating, the doorbell rang and a maid hurried away to answer it. A young voice came from the foyer and was directed into the dining hall.

"Boq!" Nessa smiled, seeing the small Munchkin enter the room.

"Hi, Nessa. Hi, Elphaba," the young Munchkin boy smiled, then noticed the prince.

"Boq, this is Prince Fiyero of the Vinkus. Boq is a friend of ours," Nessa said, directing her second sentence at the prince.

Fiyero regarded the Munchkin boy. He couldn't have been more than fifteen or sixteen years old, but he was short. He was wearing a brown jacket with matching pants, and a red beanie on top of his head.

"Your Highness," the little Munchkin boy bowed.

Fiyero nodded back at him.

"We're giving Fiyero a tour of the town today. Would you like to come with us?" Nessa asked brightly.

Elphaba blinked. "Nessa, I'm sure Boq has to –"

"I'd love to," the Munchkin said with a smile.

"Boq, don't you have school –"

"There's a teachers' meeting, so there's no school today."

"I'm sure your mother would not appreciate you going into town without telling –"

"She actually sent me into town to pick up some more bread, and I thought I'd stop by," Boq said, clearly not picking up the hint… or simply choosing to ignore it.

Elphaba sighed, clearly accepting defeat. "Very well. You can come along, Boq."

Nessa beamed. "Thank you, Fabala."

"Don't thank me," Elphaba groaned.

As Fiyero listened to the exchange, he couldn't help but think that this wasn't the first time the sisters and Boq had that conversation. He could clearly see that the governor was devoted to her younger sister, but it seemed like there was something more to it than what meets the eye.

Once breakfast was over, the four of them left the mansion to the waiting carriage. A guard was going with them, but Fiyero had a feeling it wasn't just because he was there. Boq offered to push Nessa's chair, which made the younger girl blush deeply and Elphaba rolled her eyes. Boq wasn't the strongest boy in Munchkinland. In fact, he had almost no upper-body strength. Both Elphaba and Nessa knew that he wouldn't be able to push the chair past the front door, but it was still cute (and very amusing) to watch him try. As predicted, Boq barely made it to the door before Elphaba took over, claiming that she didn't want him to "pass out from exhaustion". The Munchkin boy pouted, but followed the sisters and Fiyero to the waiting carriage. He climbed in first and Elphaba helped Nessa inside while Boq folded her chair. Once the four of them were inside, the carriage sped off to the town.

Fiyero was kept busy with Nessa asking him more questions. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Elphaba trying to resist the urge to bang her head against the door of the carriage. Boq was alternating between looking out the window and casting shy glances up at the younger Thropp. He looked like he wanted to ask her something, but was waiting for the right moment, which clearly wasn't when the brunette was asking the prince of the Vinkus what his favorite dog breed is.

After what seemed like an eternity to the green woman, even though it was only a few minutes, they finally reached the town. They allowed Fiyero to get out first so they could help Nessa. The prince stepped out and looked around. Even though he was all the way across Oz, the town reminded him of the Vinkus. It was almost a carbon copy, and he didn't know what to make of it.

"Are you ready, Prince Fiyero?" Elphaba asked once her sister was settled in her chair and Boq had, once again, offered to push her.

Fiyero was still looking around that he didn't hear the governor's question. He had turned towards her and found her glaring at him with an annoyed expression.

"Are you ready to begin?" Elphaba said, trying not to sound as annoyed as she felt, and failing.

"Oh, yes, sorry," Fiyero said.

Elphaba said as she began to lead the way through the town, pointing out buildings as they passed them. The guard walked a few feet behind them, sending intimidating glares to a few people who stared at the governor too long.

"This is our public library," Elphaba said, pointing to an old, large building.

"Elphaba used to spend almost all of her free time there," Nessa mused with a soft laugh.

Elphaba didn't comment on her sister's statement and continued. "This is our fire station, police station, shoe shop, pet shop…"

"Elphaba, can we go into the pet shop? Please?" the brunette asked, intertwining her fingers under her chin in a pleading gesture.

Elphaba looked at her sister. "A-Alright, but only for a moment."

The wheelchair-bound girl beamed and Boq pushed her into the shop. Elphaba sulked in behind them, followed by Fiyero. Nessa immediately went over to the puppies in a large, glass box near the left wall of the store.

"Hi," she smiled as she reached in to pet a puppy with white fur and brown spots.

"Hello, and welcome to Hartit's Pet Shop. How may I he- oh, Governor Thropp," a man said as he came out from the back room. He bowed slightly when he noticed the green woman. "To what do I owe this visit?"

"Nessa just wanted to come in and play with the puppies. If we're disturbing you, we could –" Elphaba started.

"Oh no! It's no disturbance at all," the owner said. "Miss Nessarose is always welcome to come and play with the animals… and you are always welcome here, too, of course, Your Governorship."

Elphaba nodded and watched as the owner went over to Nessa and placed the puppy she was petting into her lap. The young teenager smiled in delight as the puppy leaned against her chest and stood on its hind legs to lick her face. Boq was watching the goldfish and Fiyero was watching a hamster in a wheel. The green woman sighed softly as she watched everyone, especially her sister.

Everyone in town had always loved Nessa. They loved to give her free gifts, like free ice cream, a free book, and free cookies from the bakery. Elphaba never got to experience the love and free gifts her sister was exposed to when she went to town. Her father rarely took her out. It wasn't a secret that Frex had favored Nessa over Elphaba.

"Fabala, look! He likes me!" Nessa giggled as the puppy continued to lick her face.

Elphaba smiled at her sister when a soft meow caught her attention. She turned and saw a small black cat looking up at her with wide eyes. It meowed again and Elphaba gently reached into the cage and picked it up. It immediately started purring and cuddled closer against her. The green girl smiled, softly petting the animal.

"Fabala, can we please get a pet?" she heard her sister ask, followed by a slight giggle.

Elphaba stiffened slightly. She hated it when her sister did that. She really didn't want a pet in the house. She had too much to worry about and adding 'dog walking' and 'vet visits' and 'cleaning up poop' weren't things she wanted to add to her 'To Do' list. "Nessa, you know how I…"

"Please, Fabala? Look how much he likes me," Nessa pleaded, turning the puppy around so Elphaba could see his little, cute face. She pouted slightly, mimicking the puppy's expression.

Elphaba was put in such an awkward position. She didn't want to deny her sister, but she really didn't want a puppy.

"You can come over and play with my puppy, Nessa," Boq offered, sensing the tight spot the green girl was in and tried to help.

Elphaba could clearly see what the little Munchkin boy really meant, but Nessa beamed at the offer. "Really?"

The young boy nodded.

Nessa looked down at the puppy in her lap and sighed. She looked back at her sister with one last attempt.

"I'll think about it," Elphaba said sincerely, even though she wasn't very sincere.

Nessa bought it and carefully put the puppy back. "Bye-bye," she said, waving as the group left the pet shop.

Elphaba inhaled deeply once they were back outside. She knew the pet conversation with her sister wasn't over, but was glad it had ended for now. She looked at her sister's face and bit back a frown, knowing exactly what she was thinking.

 _Father would have gotten me the puppy._

As they continued walking, Fiyero noticed how even though, people would stop and say hi to Elphaba, there was never a crowd gathered around her. Whenever he went to town, there was always a crowd of people around him, especially girls. Even though she wasn't cold towards people, Elphaba wasn't a social butterfly, the prince quickly noticed.

"Elphaba, let's show Prince Fiyero the park," Nessa suggested brightly.

Elphaba opened her mouth, but quickly closed it. "Alright. Follow me, Prince Fiyero."

Fiyero followed the three Munchkins and soon, he noticed a large, open gate. He looked up and read what was written on the archway.

 _Frexspar Thropp Memorial Park_

The three walked through the gate and Fiyero smiled. It was a very large, open, grassy space with many pavilions and pathways. In one section, he saw a playground where a bunch of little children were running around and having fun. Benches were set up along the pathways and there were some scattered wildflowers. But what caught his eye was a large statue in the center of the garden.

Nessa motioned for Boq to push her towards the statue and Elphaba walked behind them, followed by Fiyero. Once they got to the statue, Fiyero read the inscription.

 _In loving memory of Governor Frexspar Thropp, who ruled our great country for twenty-five years. May he rest in peace with the Unnamed God forever._

He looked up and studied the statue. The man was bald, with a small nose and his lips pressed tightly together, as if he was in deep thought about something. His eyes looked out over the horizon, and his robes were looked like they were flowing in a very slight breeze. His hands were locked behind his back and he stood tall and distinguished.

"Frexspar Thropp was your father?" he asked, not very clear which Thropp sister he was addressing, though it really didn't matter.

"Yes," Nessa said, sadness evident in her voice.

"I… I'm sorry for your loss," Fiyero said. He looked over at Elphaba and realized that she wasn't even looking at the statue.

"Thank you," Nessa said softly, running her fingers over the bronze plaque at the base of the statue. "He was a great governor and a great father."

"We should really finish up now," Elphaba said suddenly, and Fiyero thought he saw a bit of coldness in her eyes.

"Can't we stay in Father's park for a bit longer, Fabala?" Nessa pleaded.

"Prince Fiyero and I have work to do, Nessa," Elphaba said, and Fiyero could tell that Elphaba _really_ wanted to leave.

"Surely that can wait a few more –"

"We're leaving, Nessa. Now," Elphaba said as she turned to leave.

Nessa frowned, but followed her sister, and Boq followed her. Fiyero lingered and looked up at the statue before hearing Elphaba call him. Turning, he made his way back to the park entrance.

"You could show Father a bit more respect, Elphaba," Nessa said coldly in the carriage ride back.

"What do you mean?" Elphaba asked, sounding unfazed.

"You refuse to look at his statue or even acknowledge him. It's like he doesn't even exist to you."

 _I barely existed to him_ , Elphaba wanted to say, but didn't. "I don't want to talk about this again, Nessa."

"But I do. For Oz sakes, Elphaba, he was our _father_!"

"Stop it, Nessa."

"Just because you two didn't have the best relationship doesn't mean that you can just –"

"That's _enough_ , Nessarose," Elphaba said, glaring at her sister, her eyes blazing.

Nessa stopped, but her eyes were still stone hard. The two sisters glared at each other before Elphaba averted her gaze to the window. Nessa did the same and the carriage descended into silence. Fiyero and Boq awkwardly looked at each other, not knowing what to do or say. Thankfully, the carriage soon pulled back up to the Governor's Mansion and the party climbed out.

Even though Fiyero could still sense the tension between the two sisters, he felt it calm down a bit. He barely knew much about the previous Governor, but now he was even more curious. Especially seeing Elphaba's reaction in the park and in the carriage, he was interesting into discovering what had happened between the two of them.


	4. Dresses

**Alyssa (Guest): Thank you! And yes, some Fiyeraba time might make this more bearable. But we have a while to go before that.**

 **ElphieNeedsAHug: Anna and Elsa? I honestly didn't think of that. And we'll see Galinda a bit later.**

 **Satilliteheart: No, Frex wasn't murdered.**

 **Michelle Katic: Thank you! I'm glad you're addicted to this story!**

* * *

"So… where's the paper we sign?" Fiyero asked after they had eaten lunch. Boq had gone back home and Nessa opted to take a nap, but not before giving her sister one final look. Currently, he was in Elphaba's office, sitting across from her at her desk.

Elphaba stared at the prince, actually wondering if he was serious. "There isn't a paper to sign just yet, Prince Fiyero. We have to come up with the terms of the trade first."

Fiyero blinked.

"You've… never done this before, have you?"

"Have you?" the prince challenged.

Elphaba bristled slightly. "No, but I did my research beforehand."

 _Of course she did_ , Fiyero sighed inwardly.

"Two of the main exports of Munchkinland are corn and wool, something I heard the Vinkus could use more of. And two of the main exports of the Vinkus are silk and spices, something Munchkinland could use more of."

"So you give us corn and wool, and then we'll give you silk and spices," Fiyero said. Why was she making this so difficult?

Elphaba sighed. "It's not that simple, Prince Fiyero. We also need to decide on the tariffs and the quantity of the goods that will be exchanged. Also, we need to discuss how often the goods will be exchanged, and how they will travel across Oz."

Fiyero blinked blankly. This _was_ a lot of work. Oz, why couldn't his sister have done this instead?

Elphaba bit her lip. "Here," she said as she stood up and turned around to the bookshelf behind her desk. Her fingers scanned the book bindings as she searched for what she wanted. Finding a thick tome, she pulled it out and placed it on her desk, sliding it over to the prince.

Fiyero took the book and looked at the cover. " _Regionalism, Multilateralism, and Economic Integration: The Recent Experience_."

"It's a book detailing all of the aspects of creating a stable trading system, including the profits of the goods and the structure of all the economies of Oz."

Did the governor think he was stupid? He knew how his own economy works… a little bit… okay, not a lot… or at all.

"I suggest you read it as quickly as possible, since we need to get started very soon. A week and a half goes by very quickly, and I don't want you to leave having not accomplished anything."

"Do I have to read the whole thing?"

"No, just the first paragraph."

"Really?"

"No. You have to read the whole thing. You can't expect to learn anything if you don't study it."

Fiyero bit back a sigh. The governor was starting to sound like his mother… which was kind of creepy, since she certainly didn't look as old as his mother. Then again, his mother didn't exactly look her age, either. "How old are you?"

Elphaba sniffed, startled by the sudden change of topic, but quickly bristled it off. "How is that relevant to anything?"

"It's just… you're sounding a lot like my mother now, and it's very creepy, especially since you're not even half her age… or at least, you don't look half her age."

Was she supposed to be offended by that statement? "Hasn't anyone ever told you that it is considered impolite to ask a woman her age?"

"It was just a question. You don't have to answer if you don't want to. I was just… curious."

The green woman rolled her eyes with a sigh. "I'm eighteen."

"Eighteen?" Fiyero gasped in shock.

"Yes," Elphaba said stiffly. "Why must you know?"

"You're so… young."

Green tinted lips curled into a frown. "And? What does that have to do with anything?"

"In the Vinkus, you would still be considered a child."

Elphaba laughed dryly. "That explains a lot about you, doesn't it?"

It was Fiyero's turn to bristle. He was _not_ expecting that. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"You're technically still a child also, since _you're_ only nineteen. You think that because you're technically still considered a 'child', that it's okay for you to act like one."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about you, the 'dancing through life' prince who doesn't have a single care in the world, who ignores his responsibilities and doesn't even want to open up a book for the single reason that it doesn't have any pictures in it!"

Well, _that_ hurt.

"You just go through life not having to lift a finger, while everything gets handed to you on a golden platter. You've never had to work a day in your life, and you've taken advantage of that for your entire life. You don't know how to work or how to try to cooperate with others, and you don't even care."

In all honestly, Fiyero had no idea why Elphaba was bringing _that_ up, but he was too shocked and fumed to really dwell on that. "Hey –"

"You may be older than me, but I'm clearly more mature than you are. I've had to grow up much quicker than any child ever should, and you don't see me dancing away my responsibilities. Age is but a number, but it can still carry some weight with it."

"For your information, _Governor Thropp_ ," Fiyero huffed, rising to his feet. "I have had to work. I've had to work very hard in my life."

"Not as hard as I have," Elphaba sneered.

"How hard have you had to work? You were the first-born child of the governor of Munchkinland. You've probably gotten just as many golden platters as I have. You're pretty much Munchkin royalty. You've probably had just as many privileges as I have."

Elphaba bristled, but still had a comeback ready. "At least I am not afraid of my responsibilities and can face them head on. I don't need to put on an act to hide from myself."

"Hide from yourself? You couldn't hide from yourself if you tried," Fiyero said, gesturing to her, clearly talking about her skin.

If Elphaba was hurt by that statement, which she probably was, she didn't let it show. "I've heard rumors about you, _Prince Fiyero_ , and judging by your current behavior and attitude, they don't seem to be very far from the truth. I know how irresponsible you are, always throwing parties and not giving a twig about your future."

"And I've heard rumors about you, too, you know, like how you almost _killed_ someone with your weird, sinful magic powers."

Elphaba paled dramatically at Fiyero's accusation. She opened her mouth, yet no words came out. Tears welled in her eyes, but they didn't fall. She was in too much of a shock to even allow her brain to process any words.

"I'm not as brainless as you think, am I?" Fiyero challenged darkly.

"… You know nothing," Elphaba said in a soft whisper once she regained her ability to speak. "You know… nothing, and until you learn to grow up, I refuse to continue this deal. You have two options, _Your Highness_. You can either read the book and _try_ , or you can pack up your belongings and go back to the Vinkus. The choice is yours." And with that, the governor stood and marched out of her office.

Fiyero crossed his arms over his chest and grumbled under his breath. He needed some fresh air. He walked out of the governor's office and down the hall to the door that led to the gardens. He opened the door and stepped out, filling his lungs with fresh air as he slowly closed his eyes.

"Prince Fiyero?"

The prince opened his eyes with a soft gasp and looked over to see Nessa sitting in her chair on the patio. "Hello, Miss Nessarose."

"What are you doing out here?"

"I… I just needed a break… and some fresh air."

Nessa, figuring that Elphaba had said or done something to upset the prince, sighed. "I'm sorry about my sister. She can be… hard sometimes."

"She doesn't seem hard with you."

The brunette smiled softly. "She's been through a lot of loss. I have, too, but not as much as her."

"Loss?"

Nessa looked like she didn't want to elaborate on that, so Fiyero let the subject drop. He noticed the magazine she was looking at. It was a catalogue of fancy party dresses and he questioned her on it.

"My seventeenth birthday is coming up this Sunday. The dress is for my coming-of-age ball," the brunette said excitedly.

"You're shopping for a dress?"

"Not exactly. The dress is custom made, but I'm looking at these for inspiration. I get to choose exactly how I want my dress to look." She turned the page and smiled. "My mother's dress looked a lot like this one," she said, pointing to a dark golden dress with a layer of tulle underneath the skirt. "I've seen pictures of her in it. It looked very similar to this."

"Do all Munchkins have a coming-of-age ball?"

"It depends. Most people have a big party to celebrate, and sometimes, others might choose to have a smaller party. But everyone has some type of celebration."

"Did your sister have one?"

Nessa paused and looked up with a slight frown. "No. She said she didn't want one."

"Oh." He looked at the dresses in the magazine over Nessa's shoulder, trying to picture the green girl in the dresses. Most of the images made him shudder, since her green skin would clash horribly with most of the colors.

"Would you like to sit down?" Nessa asked, looking up to see Fiyero looking over her shoulder.

"Oh… thank you," Fiyero said, sitting in an armchair next to Nessa's wheelchair.

The brunette smiled at him and turned back to her catalogue.

"Is it just a ball or an all-day celebration?"

"It's an all-day celebration. There's a morning mass, then a lunch with family and close friends. After lunch, everyone gathers together and presents are opened. The rest of the day is spent getting ready for the ball, which is in the early evening."

Fiyero listened as Nessa talked about the party. She was clearly very excited and had been planning this for a while.

"Also, at the ball, I get to have my first trujuha," Nessa smiled.

"What's that?"

"It's a Munchkin drink made with durian, jackfruit, dragon fruit, strawberries, and longan. They're cut up, then soaked in Munchkin whiskey, which is really strong. Then it's all blended together in a very thin smoothie."

"So… it's your first alcoholic drink?"

"Basically. It's not that much of a big deal, but I hear it's really good. It's only made for special occasions, so it's not an everyday drink."

They continued talking, then Fiyero said that he should probably get back to work with Elphaba. Nessa smiled softly and wished him good luck, watching as he walked back into the house. He went back to her office, but the green woman wasn't there. He asked a passing maid where the governor had gone, and was told that she was in the library. After giving the maid a sheepish smile, he got directions and went on his way.

Fiyero rarely went in his own library back home, but the governor's library was huge. He looked around at all the books surrounding him, suddenly feeling small. He walked around, lost in thought, and trying to find the governor.

"I wondered when you would find the library."

Fiyero jumped and whipped around, seeing Elphaba sitting in an armchair. She wasn't looking at him, but her eyes were cast down at the book in her lap. When she didn't hear him respond, she looked up to find him staring at her.

"Yes?"

Fiyero took a deep breath. "I… I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not trying and… and for what I said earlier."

Elphaba blinked, surprised, but took off her glasses to rub her eyes. "Me, too. I didn't mean to snap at you the way I did."

"Could we… start over?"

To his surprise, the governor smiled softly. "Yes. I would like that. It would make coming up with a trade agreement so much easier."

Fiyero noticed her dimples and smiled back. Her eyes were gleaming and for the first time since he arrived, Fiyero noticed how much Elphaba looked like an eighteen-year-old girl instead of the strict, hard governor of Munchkinland.


	5. For My Sister

**Sorry for skipping an update day, everyone! I've had to travel to the city a lot for job stuff and I've been exhausted! But we get more background in this chapter.**

 **KatriaFaeyero: We find out what happened to Frex in this chapter.**

 **Satilliteheart: Don't worry. We'll find out about the magic later!**

 **Ultimate Queen of Cliffies: PLEASE! Of _course_ they're fights aren't over yet! *Hands you puppy, kitten, goldfish, and hamster***

* * *

Fiyero sighed as he closed the book. He had been in the library for over two hours reading the book Elphaba had given him. Putting his head down on the desk, he rubbed the back of his head. Next to him was a notebook with pages full of notes on the things he had learned about not only Munchkinland and the Vinkus, but also about Oz and some of the regions beyond.

"Taking a nap?"

He looked up and saw Elphaba looking at him. "I'm finished."

The green woman blinked. "You're… finished?"

Fiyero nodded and held out the notebook. Elphaba closed the distance between them and took the notebook. Her eyes widened as she saw all the notes Fiyero had taken.

"This is… impressive, Prince Fiyero," she said, smiling slightly at the prince.

The prince grinned. "Thank you." He looked down at the large book again, and when he looked back up, Elphaba was looking at him. "What is it?"

Elphaba chuckled lightly. "It's just… you didn't have to stay… you could have gone back home."

Fiyero blinked. "So?"

"So? No matter how shallow and self-absorbed you pretend to be, you –"

"Excuse me, there is no pretense here," Fiyero said with a slight frown. "I happen to be _genuinely_ self-absorbed and _deeply_ shallow."

Elphaba looked at him with a soft expression. "No, you're not. Or you wouldn't be so unhappy."

"I'm not unhappy."

"Aren't you?" Elphaba said, giving him a concerned look.

Fiyero didn't know what brought on that, and he didn't like how the governor could see right through him. He wasn't used to people seeing through his 'happy dancing through life doesn't have a care in the world prince' facade, and it unnerved him. He desperately looked for a way to change the subject. "I heard Nessarose's coming-of-age ball is this Sunday."

Elphaba sighed. "Yes, it is."

"It must be very exciting for her."

"It's her big day. She has every right to be excited."

"What was your ball like?"

Elphaba blinked, turning away slightly. "I didn't have one. I didn't want one."

"Who wouldn't want a big party where you're the center of attention?"

"I hate being the center of attention," Elphaba said, trying to dismiss the subject, but Fiyero wasn't finished.

"Why didn't you want one?"

"Because I just didn't!"

"Didn't you do anything?"

"No. I've never liked celebrating my birthday, and that was no different."

"Why not?"

"Because I wish I had never been born! That's why!"

Fiyero's next question died in his throat. The governor wished she had never been born? What was that all about? How could someone as privileged as her hate the fact that she exists?

Elphaba realized what she had said and calmed down. She turned away from the prince, trying to compose herself. She heard footsteps and looked up to see Mr. Furton approaching.

"Your Governorship, there you are," the man said with a slight bow. "The tailor is here to fit Miss Nessarose for her birthday dress."

"Of course," Elphaba said, walking out without sparing Fiyero a glance.

Mr. Furton blinked, but bowed to the prince before following Elphaba out. Fiyero was left alone to think about what just happened. How could Elphaba wish that she didn't exist? To wish that she didn't have green skin, he could understand, but to have never been born? What had happened to her to make her like that? The prince was determined to figure it out.

* * *

"Do you like your dress, Nessa?" Elphaba asked as she helped Nessa change back into her regular clothes.

"I do. It's so beautiful," the young brunette smiled as she got settled back in her chair. "Have all the invitations been sent out?"

"Yes. All of your friends and our relatives – however distant – will be there."

"And the menu?"

"All of your favorite foods."

"And the mass?"

"All taken care of."

"Can my friends and I go to the spa after lunch?"

Elphaba smiled. "You and your friends can do whatever you want. This is your special day, Nessie."

Nessa smiled back. "And will you do my hair?"

"I thought you wanted a professional to come in and do your hair."

"I… I want you to do my hair, Fabala."

Elphaba knelt down in front of her sister. "If you want me to do your hair, I will do your hair, Nessie."

"Thank you, Fabala," Nessa grinned as her sister pulled her into a hug. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Nessa."

Once the sisters pulled apart, Elphaba stood and pushed her sister into the parlor. The maid had just brought in afternoon tea and Fiyero was already sitting on the couch, a novel in his hands.

"How was the fitting?" Fiyero asked the brunette, knowing that she wanted to be asked so she would have an excuse to ramble.

"It was wonderful," Nessa blushed.

"What does the dress look like?"

"It's a surprise," Nessa smiled. "But I will tell you that it's my favorite color."

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "Does Prince Fiyero know your favorite color, Nessa?"

"Pink," Fiyero said immediately.

Nessa's blush deepened. "I might have mentioned it once."

"It's also my sister's favorite color," Fiyero said. He looked up at the governor, but there was no trace that she was still upset with him for what had happened earlier, or she was just simply choosing to forget it.

"Will you be attending?" Nessa asked the prince excitedly.

"Of course, Miss Nessarose," Fiyero smiled.

Nessa giggled, clearly ecstatic of the thought of a prince attending her birthday celebration.

"The Duke and Duchess of the Gillikin, an ambassador from the Quadling Country, the mayor of Munchkin City, as well as many other dignitaries and wealthy people, will also be there," Elphaba said.

"The Duke and Duchess of the Gillikin?" Nessa asked. "Aren't they the parents of your roommate from Shiz?"

"Yes, they are," Elphaba said simply, not really wanting to discuss Shiz.

"You went to Shiz University?" Fiyero asked.

Elphaba groaned at the inability for anyone to take her hints. "Yes, I did. I was there for a semester."

"What was your roommate's name again?" Nessa asked.

"Galinda Upland."

"That's it," Nessa smiled, then laughed. "I remember you telling me about her. You two loathed each other."

"At first. She was very… blonde."

"You were really good friends when you left, weren't you?"

"We were."

"I want to go to Shiz when I'm older," Nessa said dreamily. "It sounds so grand there. Did you also invite Galinda?"

"I extended the invitation to the entire Upland family."

Nessa smiled, knowing that Elphaba secretly wanted to see her only friend again.

"Why were you only there for one semester?" Fiyero asked.

The brunette looked up at her sister, who had developed a sudden interest in the carpet. "Our father died and… Elphaba had to come back and… be sworn in as governor."

Elphaba bit her lip, mentally tracing the carpet patterns.

"I'm so sorry," Fiyero said, directing that statement more towards Elphaba than Nessa.

"It was what had to be done," Elphaba said simply.

Fiyero sensed that Elphaba wanted to change the topic and decided to follow her head, to avoid an argument, if nothing else. "Will my parents come… to the ball, I mean?" Fiyero asked.

Elphaba shook her head. "I received a reply that said while they thanked me for the invitation, they didn't think it would be wise to leave your sister when she's so close to giving birth."

"When is your sister due?" Nessa asked.

"She's eight and a half months along, but the Vinkun royals have a tendency to arrive early. She's due in a few weeks."

"How exciting!"

"Yeah."

"If you'll excuse me, I have some more work I have to finish up," Elphaba said before speed walking out of the room.

Fiyero watched her go and sighed. "Almost everything I say always makes her upset. I can't seem to say anything right."

"It's not your fault, Prince Fiyero," Nessa said sympathetically. "Elphaba is… she locks her feelings inside and never tells anyone how she really feels."

"Why?"

Nessa looked down.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry. You don't have to tell me if you –"

"No, it's okay. You should know why Elphaba is… the way she is, and she would never tell you, which isn't very fair to you." Nessa sighed before she began the story. "Elphaba and our father didn't really have the best relationship. Growing up, Elphaba was prone to magic outbursts and –"

"Wait… magic outbursts?" Fiyero asked, his eyes widening.

Nessa nodded. "She was born with these magic powers. Over time, she learned to control them; she had to, obviously. It wasn't a secret that our father didn't really like her, but he still provided for her. He was never cruel to her. They just… didn't get along. He mostly ignored her."

"Why?"

Nessa sighed. "Our mother died giving birth to me. Our father didn't want me to be born like… Elphaba, so he made our mother chew milk flowers. It made her go into labor too early and she lost so much blood that she never woke up. My legs came out tangled and that's why I'm stuck in this wheelchair. Father blamed Elphaba for everything."

"But… that was the milk flower's fault, not hers." _It was also the Governor's fault for making his wife do that,_ he thought, but knew better than to voice that thought out loud.

"I suppose so."

"Do _you_ blame your sister?"

"I used to. When I was younger, I would see other children running around and playing and I would get mad at Elphaba because I thought she was the reason I couldn't be like them. But now… I can't. I can't blame her anymore. Not after everything she's done for me and all the sacrifices she's made. I may have grown up spoilt and innocent, but I'm not ungrateful. At least… I try not to be." Nessa bit her lip. "She's taken care of me her entire life. She's had to grow up so fast and be my mother. I think she really did believe that her death and my condition were her fault, and she felt guilty."

Fiyero listened to the younger girl's story. That was just awful. No child should feel responsible for their parent's death. It wasn't her fault. How could it have been? _At least that explains 'Because I wish I had never been born!'_ , Fiyero thought.

"Anyway, Father let Elphaba attend Shiz University when she graduated high school, since she had applied and got accepted. Shortly after Elphaba went back to Shiz after Lurlinemas break, our father went on a business trip to the Quadling Country. On the way back, something happened and the carriage flipped over. He was rushed to the closest hospital, but he died very shortly after arriving. Since I'm sixteen, I'm too young to succeed him, but Elphaba had turned eighteen that past October, so she had to become governor instead. She had to pull out early and was never able to finish out the semester." Nessa paused briefly before adding, "It wasn't a secret that our father wanted to give the governorship to me."

"Elphaba can't abdicate to you once you're old enough?" Fiyero asked.

Nessa shook her head. "No. Once a governor is sworn in, they're governor for life, until they die or are too old or sick to continue, and Elphaba is neither."

"What would have happened if Elphaba hadn't become the governor?"

"We would have been thrown out of the mansion, and a new family would have taken over. We would have been fine, financially, I mean, but… I grew up here. This is my home. I have so many wonderful memories here. I… I wouldn't have wanted to leave."

Fiyero had a newfound respect for the green woman. She had really given up a lot. She clearly worked very hard.

"As you can imagine, the Munchkins weren't very happy with a young governor, and a green one at that. Elphaba had to work very hard to earn their respect. It took a few months, but she now has a majority of them on her side."

Fiyero instantly felt bad for every negative thing he had said to the green woman, and even his negative thoughts about her.

"I know why she took on the governorship. She did it for me. She never really wanted it. She did it so I wouldn't have to leave the only life I've ever known. Everything she did... everything she's doing... is for me."

Fiyero thought about what Nessa had just told him. Elphaba clearly had to work very hard, and his brainlessness hadn't been an asset to this whole trade arrangement. But at least he was trying now. He had read the book and took very good notes. But for some reason, he felt that it wasn't enough. He had a long way to go.


	6. Through Munchkinland

**Yes, I know. This update is late! So sorry about that! Real life got in the way!**

 **Satilliteheart: Fiyeraba is on the way! I promise. But it will take a while.**

 **Ultimate Queen of Cliffies: Actually, FF didn't sensor that word! XD**

* * *

"Good morning, Prince Fiyero. It's time to get up now," a maid said as she slowly opened the door to the prince's guest bedroom on Thursday morning.

Fiyero groaned and turned over, burying himself deeper into the pillows.

The maid chuckled and opened the curtains, allowing the sunlight to shine through. "Prince Fiyero."

"Fwive mwore minwets," the prince slurred with a groan.

"I'm afraid I cannot do that, Your Highness. Her Governorship has requested that you be woken up with ample time to get ready and eat breakfast."

"Why?"

"Because you are going to the Corn Exchange and the sheep farm today. You have a long and busy day of learning ahead of you."

The prince grunted and muttered something under his breath, but still didn't get up.

The maid shook her head and walked out. At least no one could tell her that she didn't try.

"Is Prince Fiyero up yet?" Elphaba asked when she saw the maid coming down the hall.

The maid curtsied. "I'm sorry, Your Governorship, but it seems that Prince Fiyero –"

"I'll get him," Elphaba said, walking past the maid to the prince's door. She pounded on it with her fist and smirked in satisfaction when she heard a scream, followed by a thud, then a loud groan. "Your Highness, if you want breakfast, you'll have to get out of bed now… although I guess you already are, so you'll just have to get up from the floor," she called through the closed door, trying to keep the smirk out of her voice.

She heard Fiyero make a noncommittal noise and turned back to the maid. The two shared a look and both tried to stop their laughing as Elphaba hurried down the hall and the maid continued to go about her work.

Elphaba and Nessa were already seated at the table when Fiyero arrived.

"Good morning, Prince Fiyero," Nessa smiled, taking a sip of her juice.

"Good morning, Miss Nessarose," the prince smiled.

"I trust you had a good night's rest?"

"And a good wake-up call," Elphaba muttered, eating a forkful of eggs.

Nessa glanced over at her sister, and Elphaba met her glance with an innocent look. The brunette resisted the urge to roll her eyes, and looked back at the prince.

"I suggest you eat, Prince Fiyero," Elphaba said when she saw Fiyero playing with his food. "We have a long day ahead of us."

"May I come, too, Elphaba?" Nessa asked brightly.

"You have lessons today, Nessa," Elphaba said.

"But, Elphaba…"

"I have already allowed you to miss one day of lessons to come on the tour with us. I cannot let you skip another day; especially twice in one week," Elphaba said.

"But –"

Elphaba gave her sister a look and the brunette closed her mouth. She didn't look happy, and the green woman mentally prepared herself to deal with her sister later.

Fiyero silently watched the exchange, his curiosity into the sisters' relationship growing deeper. As soon as he was finished, the governor stood and told him that they were going to leave. After bidding farewell to Nessa (Elphaba's goodbye a bit tighter), the two government officials were in a carriage to the Corn Exchange.

"So… is the Corn Exchange a farm?" Fiyero asked as they rode down the road.

"Yes," Elphaba nodded. "One of Munchkinland's main exports is corn, and the Corn Exchange is the largest corn farm in the country."

"Does that farm only grow corn?"

"Yes. Most farms don't only grow one crop, but the Corn Exchange is the exception."

"Oh."

The two rode in silence for a while longer before their arrival at the Corn Exchange was announced. Elphaba got out first, followed by the prince.

"Your Governorship," a short, plump Munchkin said, bowing to the governor. "And Prince Fiyero, welcome to the Corn Exchange."

"Prince Fiyero, this is Mr. Yewsha, one of the head farmers of the Corn Exchange," Elphaba explained to the prince, then turned back to the farmer. "Thank you for agreeing to give us a tour, Mr. Yewsha."

"It is my pleasure, Your Governorship. Shall we get started?"

Elphaba nodded and Mr. Yewsha gave the two a tour of the Corn Exchange. Fiyero looked around with fascination. It was very obvious that he had never been to a farm before, and it looked like he was actually enjoying himself.

"And here we are, the heart of the Corn Exchange," Mr. Yewsha said, leading them to a big field.

Fiyero could only gawk as he looked out over the field of corn. He was completely mesmerized. He inhaled deeply, expecting it to smell like the fresh, open air, but instead, what he smelt only made him gag.

"Oh, I probably should have explained that since it's not the harvesting season, we have to use a special fertilizer to help the corn grow," Mr. Yewsha explained as Elphaba tried to hide her snickering. "It doesn't smell the best, but it's best for the plants."

"Why couldn't I smell this elsewhere on the farm?" Fiyero asked, deciding that breathing through his mouth was the best course of action at the moment.

"The fertilizer we use does have a large 'impact zone', as we like to call it. You can't smell it unless you're near it, which is a relief to most of our workers," Mr. Yewsha said with a slight chuckle.

"When will the corn be ready to harvest?" Elphaba asked, using her diplomatic governor voice.

"It should be ready for harvesting in around six days, Your Governorship," Mr. Yewsha answered.

Elphaba nodded and looked at the prince, who was currently holding his breath. "We should probably go before Prince Fiyero has some sort of undesirable reaction."

"Ah, yes. Of course. I will show you the manufacturing house, where we produce most of the more-famous corn products. Follow me."

Elphaba and Fiyero followed Mr. Yewsha away from the field. The green woman looked over at the prince and this time, laughed out loud.

"You can breathe again, Prince Fiyero," she said with a soft chuckle.

The prince gave her a wary look.

"We cannot have you fainting on this tour, now can we. It's safe to breathe normally again. Trust me."

Fiyero, realizing that he couldn't hold his breath any longer, exhaled with a loud sigh and began to breathe normally, relieved that the horrible fertilizer smell was gone.

"How were you breathing normally this whole time?" Fiyero asked.

Elphaba shrugged. "I'm used to it. The fertilizer has to be used this time of year if we want the crops to grow."

Fiyero looked at the governor as they continued to walk. He couldn't help but notice how a few strands of hair were coming loose from her bun and the way the sun illuminated her emerald skin and…

"… corn starch, corn syrup, corn oil, corn meal, corn flakes…"

Fiyero hadn't realized that he wasn't paying attention until he felt two pairs of eyes on him. "I'm sorry, I… didn't catch that."

"You seemed to be lost in a maize of thought," Mr. Yewsha said, then burst into hearty laughter.

Elphaba laughed politely, but Fiyero stood there like a brick. He didn't get the joke.

"Maze," Elphaba clarified. "And maize."

Fiyero barely heard the difference and Elphaba gave him a look that clearly said _It's a joke. Just laugh, okay?_ Fiyero did his best attempt at a chuckle. Seeing both officials laugh must have given the farmer the 'okay' to continue with the jokes. With each joke, Elphaba continued to laugh, which led to more jokes. All Fiyero knew was that if this guy said one more corny corn pun that he was forced to laugh at, he was going to go insane.

Finally, it was time for them to leave, but not without Fiyero receiving a free bottle of Munchkinland corn oil. He thanked the farmer and went with Elphaba back to the carriage.

"And… what do I do with this?" he asked once they were on their way to the sheep farm.

"You use it for cooking," Elphaba answered like it was obvious.

Fiyero gave her a blank look.

"You don't cook?"

"No. I never learned."

Elphaba blinked at him. "Oh. The oil... it can also be used to... um... treat burns."

Fiyero nodded, examining the bottle of light golden colored oil. The two rode in silence to the sheep farm. Elphaba looked like she wanted to say something to the prince, but something was stopping her. The prince regarded her, but every time she looked up, he would avert his gaze to the passing scenery.

"You like cooking?" Fiyero asked, trying to sound casual.

"I used to," Elphaba answered as a soft smile appeared on her face. "My mother used to love cooking. I have faint memories of sitting in the kitchen and watching her cook. And I would…" The green girl trailed off and awkwardly cleared her throat. "I just… don't have time for it anymore."

Fiyero regarded her again. For some reason, he imagined himself in the kitchens back at Kiamo Ko castle with Elphaba by his side as she taught him how to cook. He never really had a desire to learn the craft, but now he _really_ wanted to learn. Elphaba caught him looking at her, but Fiyero couldn't avert his gaze quick enough.

"You're thinking about something," Elphaba said, narrowing her eyes slightly at the prince.

"Am I?" Fiyero blinked.

It was Elphaba's turn to regard him. She opened her mouth to say something, but closed it again, shaking her head slightly and looking out the window.

The sheep farm was a blur for Fiyero. All he remembered was that there were sheep everywhere and it smelt like dung or wet sheep no matter where they went. It wasn't the most pleasant experience and all he had to show for it was the lingering stench in his nose that would probably last for hours. He did get to pet a sheep, which was kind of cute, until the sheep chose to pee on his shoes. Had he not jumped back (and landed on his butt), he would have a very putrid smelling shoe.

The thing that made him pause throughout this whole ordeal was Elphaba's face when he fell. She seemed to find genuine amusement in his sudden misfortune and she laughed. It wasn't a polite chuckle like she gave the corny corn puns, but a genuine laugh and signaled that she had really enjoyed what had just happened. He felt something in the pit of his stomach, but pushed it away as he rose to his feet and brushed the dirt from his pants. He looked at the governor and saw her doing something he hadn't seen her do since he arrived.

She was blushing.

She was clearly embarrassed that she had laughed when he feel, and she was avoiding his gaze, blushing like a school girl. For a moment, Elphaba Thropp wasn't the Governor of Munchkinland. She was Elphaba Thropp, a young, green girl who didn't deserve the circumstance that she had been thrown into.

* * *

 **Yes, this was a bit of a short chapter! Sorry! Next chapter will be longer!**


	7. Coming of Age

**Alright, everyone! A little gearshift! Not as much Fiyeraba in this chapter, but we do get a very special appearance from a very special perky blonde.**

 **KatriaFaeyero: Yes, the Fiyeraba feelings are developing. Slowly, but they'll get there.**

* * *

Nessa woke up very happy on Sunday morning. Giggling, she pushed herself up and, leaning against the headboard, waited for her sister. She didn't have to wait long, since Elphaba knocked on her door a few clock-ticks later and came in.

"Good morning, Nessie," the green girl smiled, dressed in a long-sleeved, navy dress with a silver belt.

"Good morning, Fabala!" Nessa said brightly. "Are you excited for today?"

"Today? What's today?" Elphaba asked, feigning confusion.

Nessa frowned. "Elphaba, you know exactly what today is."

Elphaba laughed. "Of course. How could I forget?" She sat down on the edge of her bed and pulled her sister into a hug. "Happy birthday, Nessie."

"Thank you, Fabala," the brunette smiled.

Elphaba smiled as she helped her sister up and into her chair before helping her get ready. She helped her into a lavender dress with a large bow in the back and a long, pleated skirt.

"Do I smell… pancakes?" Nessa smiled as her sister pushed her into the dining room.

"I believe you do," Elphaba laughed.

"Good morning, Miss Nessarose," Fiyero said as he stood. He walked over to the young girl and, gently taking her hand, kissed her knuckles. "Happy birthday."

"Thank you, Prince Fiyero," the brunette blushed, smiling shyly.

Fiyero smiled and looked at Elphaba. "Good morning, Governor Thropp," he nodded.

"Good morning, Prince Fiyero," Elphaba nodded back, and Fiyero noticed how she was fighting a grin.

After breakfast, it was time to go to the chapel for the mass. Nessa was excited, having inherited their father's love of religion. Fiyero was religious, but he still considered the mass the most boring part of the day. Elphaba's atheist-self was already making a plan to sleep through the mass, but she secretly knew that she wouldn't be able to. She didn't want to embarrass Nessa, but she also wished she could get a few more minutes of sleep before the rest of the busy day kicked in.

Nessa talked the whole carriage ride to the chapel. She talked about the family members she couldn't wait to see again. Elphaba and Fiyero sat and listened, but it's not like they had much of a choice. They couldn't get a word in edgewise even if they wanted to.

Once they got there, the trio saw a few of their relatives already there.

"There's Grandmother Partha!" Nessa smiled, waving to her grandmother through the window. "And Grandfather Romen!"

Elphaba groaned and muttered something under her breath.

Nessa gave her sister a look. "Fabala…"

"I'm sorry, Nessa. I will behave. I promise," Elphaba said sincerely.

Nessa didn't look convinced, but allowed her sister and Fiyero to help her out and into her chair. The birthday girl quickly wheeled over to her family members, who were more than excited to see her.

"It's so good to see you again, my dear," an old woman, the girls' grandmother, said, smiling as she gave her granddaughter a hug.

"It's good to see you, too, Grandmother," Nessa smiled, then hugged her grandfather.

The old woman smiled, then looked up and immediately frowned. "Elphaba."

"Hello, Grandmother," Elphaba said, forcing a smile on her face.

The old woman looked her up and down. "I certainly hope you're not _that_ this evening."

"No, Grandmother."

"I trust you've been taking care of our little flower."

"Of course, Grandmother."

"Good," the old woman sniffed, before directing her attention back to Nessa and reaching into her bag with a smile. "I have a little something for you, just to tide you over until after lunch."

Nessa smiled as her grandmother pulled out a silver box. She took it and opened it, revealing a beautiful wire bracelet with many colorful gems. "Oh, Grandmother! It's beautiful! Thank you!"

"You're welcome, my dear," the grandmother said, smiling at her granddaughter as she put the bracelet on.

After greeting the aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends, everyone went in the chapel for the mass. Elphaba pushed Nessa to the front and sat down next to her in the pew. Once the rest of the family had filtered in, the mass began.

Fiyero had, obviously, never experienced a Munchkin mass, and was surprised to see how similar it was to a Vinkun mass. There were two readings from the Great Book of the Unnamed God, lots of hymns, and a brief message from the priest.

"Nessarose Thropp, please approach the altar," the priest said after his message.

Nessa gave her sister a brief smile before wheeling up to the altar.

The priest said something in a language Fiyero didn't understand, but caught Nessa's name a few times. "May the Unnamed God watch over, guide, and protect Nessarose Thropp as she journeys from adolescence to adulthood. May he help her in the challenges she will face and help her make wise sound decisions. Amen."

"Amen," everyone repeated and Nessa wheeled back to her place next to Elphaba.

Everyone stood and the benediction was said, ending the mass. Everyone congregated outside to mingle and talk to Nessa some more. Elphaba snuck away, knowing that none of her relatives wanted to see or talk to her.

"Elphaba!"

Except for one. Elphaba turned and smiled softly, seeing her Aunt Sopheila approaching her. "Hello, Aunt Sopheila."

Sopheila was almost a carbon copy of her younger sister, Melena, but with a few differences. They both shared the same long, wavy brown hair, but Sopheila's eyes were gray, while Melena's eyes were brown, like Elphaba's. Sopheila's nose was slightly sharper than Melena's and her lips were a bit fuller, and Melena had slightly bigger ears, but other than that, they could have been twins.

"Oh, Elphaba. It's so good to see you again," Sopheila smiled as she pulled her niece into a hug. "Still as green as ever, I see," she laughed.

"It's not like I have many options," Elphaba said as she returned the hug.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

 _I would._ "I aim to please."

Sopheila laughed again. "How have you been?"

"I've been fine."

"You've been busy running a country," Sopheila said, then sobered. "How have you been holding up with that, by the way?"

"I've been fine," Elphaba repeated, this time adding a forced smile.

"How long has it been?"

"Five months."

"That long?"

Elphaba nodded.

Sopheila smiled. "You're doing a wonderful job, Elphaba. I just want you to know that. And I'm proud of everything you've done."

"Thank you, Aunt Sopheila," Elphaba said sincerely. It meant a lot coming from one of her closest family members who didn't hate her because of her skin.

Sopheila smiled. "What do you say we take this party back home and have lunch?"

Before Elphaba could respond, as if on cue, her stomach growled. Both women laughed. "Let's go home."

* * *

Lunch was a lively affair. The dining hall was filled with many tables where all the relatives were sitting. Nessa was sitting at the table with her sister, grandparents, and aunt. Fiyero sat at the table with Boq and Nessa's girlfriends, who were (of course) swooning over the prince.

After lunch, everyone gathered into the parlor for Nessa to open her presents. After receiving new dresses, books, art supplies, music books, hair accessories, jewelry, and a new journal, Elphaba placed a box in her lap.

"This is from Father," the green girl said with a soft smile.

Nessa briefly looked at her sister before tearing the wrapping paper off the box. She took off the lid and gasped, pulling out a pair of shiny, silver jeweled shoes. "Ooh! Jeweled shoes!"

"He had been saving these shoes for your seventeenth birthday," Elphaba said, smiling as her sister, and everyone else admired the shoes. She had found them in his closet and assumed it was for Nessa. After all, why would her father get her anything, especially jeweled shoes?

"Those are beautiful, Nessa!" one of the cousins said.

"Look at how they sparkle," another said.

"Those are the most beautiful shoes I've ever seen," an aunt whispered in awe.

Nessa was completely mesmerized by the sparkly shoes that she missed the upset look that crossed her sister's face for a clock-tick. Everyone missed it, since no one was paying attention to the green girl.

Everyone except for two people.

Fiyero had been looking at the green girl the whole time. He played his part as a happy friend of Nessa's, but he was really focusing on Elphaba. He watched as she tried to keep a smile on her face, and he could see that something was truly bothering her. Then, he remembered.

 _Our mother died giving birth to me._

To Elphaba, Nessa's birthday also meant the anniversary of her mother's death. Fiyero didn't know how much memory Elphaba had of her mother. He did the math and realized that Elphaba was only two when she died, so any memories were probably fuzzy and incomplete.

Sopheila had also been looking at Elphaba and was thinking the exact same thing the prince was thinking. But unlike Fiyero, she was already planning to confront Elphaba on it.

After lunch, everyone dispersed to get ready for the ball. Nessa went with her three closest friends, Kika, Rocca, and Dimani, to the spa. Elphaba had already made the reservation and paid for it in advance for the girls to have a good time.

"How did Nessa meet those girls?" Fiyero said, secretly glad the girls weren't fawning over him, yet missing it at the same time.

"Kika is the daughter of Nessa's private tutor, and she met Rocca one day when our father took her to the park, and Dimani is the daughter of one of my mother's friends," Elphaba explained shortly, then excused herself to get ready for the party.

Later that evening, the green girl was staring at her reflection in the mirror. She had picked out a dark magenta dress with see-through sleeves that stopped at her elbows. The skirt of the dress was long and stopped at her ankles, with a silk overskirt over it. Her shoes were black and had a half-inch heel. Her long, raven hair fell in soft curls down to the middle of her back. She had opted to wear her contact lenses –which she hated wearing because they always moved in her eyes– instead of her glasses. Nessa always told her that she looks better without her glasses, and Elphaba had assured her that she would… if she wasn't blind as a bat without them.

In short, she thought she looked decent; she would have been beautiful if not for her green skin. Satisfied, she made her way to Nessa's room to help her get ready.

"Hi, Fabala," Nessa smiled when her sister came in.

"Hello, Nessa," Elphaba smiled.

"You look beautiful."

Knowing better than to argue with her sister, especially on her birthday, Elphaba simply thanked her and helped her into her dress.

The dress was a beautiful light pink party dress, with a pattern beaded bodice and beaded patterns on the skirt and very short sleeves. The skirt flared out slightly and stopped just below her knees.

"Can I wear my new shoes, Fabala?" Nessa asked when her sister reached for her white sandals.

Elphaba put the shoes down and took Nessa's jeweled shoes from the box. She gently slipped them onto her sister's feet and rose to her height to do her hair. She gently ran the brush through her sister's hair and braided a waterfall braid into her hair.

"You look beautiful, Nessie," Elphaba smiled as she pushed her sister in front of the mirror.

Nessa smiled at her reflection. "Thank you."

"Are you ready to go?"

Nessa nodded and her sister pushed her out of her room. Once the two girls were announced, the doors opened and everyone applauded as they came in. Nessa immediately became the center of attention and Elphaba slipped away, signaling for the musicians to start.

The dignitaries that had been invited out of proper protocol immediately went over to the green woman. Elphaba engaged them in polite conversation, trying not to make it clear that she wanted them to go away. As much as she hated social functions, she knew that it was part of her life now. She didn't have to necessarily _like_ them, she just had stop _hating_ them.

She saw bouncing blonde curls out of the corner of her eye and knew immediately that it was Galinda. As if by chance, Galinda turned and noticed the green woman. Elphaba gave her a small wave and Galinda immediately bounced over to her, wrapping her arms around her in a tight hug.

"Hello, Elphie," Galinda giggled.

Elphaba rolled her eyes at the nickname the blonde had given her back at Shiz, but returned the hug. "Hi, Glin."

"I've missed you so much! How are you?"

"I'm fine, but I'm sure you didn't miss me too much since you now have your private suite."

The blonde lightly smacked her arm. "That's not funny, Elphie. True, I did want my private suite, but rooming with you wasn't too horrendible."

The green girl chuckled lightly.

"How have you been?"

"I've been fine. How's Shiz?"

"Nothing much has changed. Final exams are coming up soon, and Horrible Morrible is as strict as ever in sorcery seminar. It's… different without you."

"I'm sure. Now no one has the privilege of seeing the green girl walking down its hallowed halls."

The blonde giggled and got a good look at her friend. "You look simply wonderiferous; skinny, but wonderiferous."

"Wonderiferous isn't a word, Galinda."

The blonde made a face and Elphaba laughed. "I've written to you, but you haven't answered any of my letters. I figured that you would be extremely busified, running a country and all, but still… I've… missed you."

Elphaba smiled sadly. "I know. I've been meaning to write you back, but things have been so hectic and so many things have been needing my attention and –"

"I understand, Elphie," Galinda said, softly taking the green girl's hands in her own. "You have priorities. I'm not mad or upset with you, so don't worry about it. At least we're seeing each other now."

"That's true," Elphaba said lightly. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that more dignitaries wanted to talk to her, so she excused herself from her friend and quickly shifted to her "Governor of Munchkinland" persona.

"Excuse me," a new voice said when Elphaba was talking to the mayor of a city in the Quadling Country that she couldn't recall the name of.

Elphaba looked up to see her Aunt Sopheila standing next to her.

"I'm terribly sorry to interrupt, but I must speak with the Governor. It's very important," Sopheila said.

"Of course," the mayor said, then bowed to the Governor. "I hope we can continue this conversation at a later time, Your Governorship."

"Yes, I as well. Thank you," Elphaba nodded politely and allowed her aunt to lead her away. "What's wrong? Is Nessa okay? Is she dissatisfied with anything?"

"Relax, Elphaba," Sopheila said, rubbing Elphaba's arm tenderly. "I just saved you from a long, boring conversation that you clearly didn't want to have. You're welcome."

Elphaba looked at her aunt skeptically, then sighed. "Thank you."

Sopheila smiled and grabbed two glasses from a passing servant. "You look like you could use this."

Elphaba took the glass and took a sip, shivering slightly as the alcohol slipped down her throat.

"Better?"

"Slightly."

Sopheila smiled. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine, but if my face gets frozen from all the smiling I've been doing…"

"I don't mean that, sweetheart."

Elphaba looked at her aunt and realized what she was talking about. "I'm trying not to think about that right now."

"Elphaba, it's okay to miss your mother, especially today, but –"

"There's no use missing someone you barely remember," Elphaba said, stubbornly trying to stop her tears before they started.

Sopheila looked at her niece sympathetically. "You're still allowed to miss your own mother." Elphaba turned away. "Elphaba, talk to me. Please."

"I can't. Tonight isn't about me or Mother. It's about Nessa. This is her special day and I don't want to let anything ruin it for her."

Both women looked up at the birthday girl, who was in the center of the dance floor. Boq was pushing her chair around in circles while Rocca, Dimani, and Kika danced around her. The brunette's arms were raised above her head and she was laughing. She looked like she was having the time of her life; the first truly happy moment of her life.

"It's my fault that our mother isn't here right now," Elphaba whispered, more to herself than to her aunt. It's my fault that she's stuck in that wheelchair. It's my fault that –"

"Shh. Oh, Elphaba, come here," Sopheila said as she pulled Elphaba into a hug. She felt her face grow hot and knew that the green girl was fighting tears. "Let's go outside for some air." She led her niece out of the ballroom and into the hallway. Taking a handkerchief out of her pocket, she gently dabbed the green girl's eyes. "None of that is your fault. I know your father led you to believe that for all these years, but it's not. I know it's going to take more than just me saying it, but I figured that I should start."

Elphaba's gaze refused to meet her aunt's as tears continued to slide down her cheek.

"I should have stayed," Sopheila said softly. "I should have stayed after the funeral. I… I should have been there for you, to protect you, to make sure you didn't grow up without a mother figure and to stop you from becoming the mother figure you never had to your younger sister. I… I'm so sorry, Fabala."

Elphaba had never heard that nickname come from anyone other than her sister. She figured that her mother probably used to call her that, but she couldn't remember. Before she knew it, she had started crying again and her aunt pulled her into another hug. She buried her face in her shoulder and clung to her tightly.

"It's alright," Sopheila said soothingly, rubbing circles on the green girl's back. "I'm here."

A soft "Mama" slipped past the green girl's lips and Sopheila hugged her tighter, her own tears spilling from her eyes.

* * *

 **Nessa and Elphaba's dresses are on my blog!**


	8. Deeper Meanings

**Yes, Elphaba is a good sister who deserves so much better. Good thing there's Fiyero… right? *Smirk***

* * *

The two women stayed like that for a while, simply hugging each other. Elphaba calmed down and gently pulled away, her eyes bloodshot. Sopheila smiled softly and wiped the trail of tears away with her thumb.

"Thank you, Aunt Sopheila," the green girl said softly, taking a shaky breath.

The older woman smiled. "You're welcome, Elphaba."

"Ah, Your Governorship," Mr. Furton said as he came out the ballroom. "There you are. Your sister is looking for you. It's time for her to blow out her birthday candles." He stopped when he saw the governor's tearstained face. "Are you alright?"

"She'll be fine. We will be back in a minute," Sopheila said, taking Elphaba's hands.

"But what shall I tell –"

"Tell Nessa that her sister and aunt will be right back. We just have to… freshen up."

Mr. Furton blinked, but bowed nonetheless. "Of course."

Sopheila smiled and led Elphaba down the hall to the bathroom. She wet a cloth in cold water and gently pressed it against Elphaba's face. Soon, the whites of her eyes returned and she had calmed down significantly.

"Is that better?" Sopheila asked, wringing the cloth out and hanging it back up.

Elphaba nodded and the two women went back to the ballroom. Nessa looked at her sister and frowned, upset that she had to wait to blow out her candles.

"I'm sorry, Nessa," Elphaba whispered as she stood next to her sister at the head of the table.

"I thought the candles would melt into wax before I got the chance to blow them out," Nessa frowned up at her sister, but softened as she returned to her cake and, closing her eyes, made a wish. She blew out the candles and everyone applauded. After the cake was cut, there was supposed to be the traditional father/daughter dance, but Nessa decided to forgo it for two reasons; her wheelchair and she couldn't have a father/daughter dance without her immediately felt her guilt flare up, but she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see her aunt and she relaxed. She nodded to the musicians and the music started up again. Everyone went back to mingling and Elphaba went back to trying to be invisible… well, as invisible as she could be with green skin, with only Sopheila by her side. The two saw Partha approaching them and both of them sighed.

Elphaba immediately felt her guilt flare up, but she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see her aunt and she relaxed. She nodded to the musicians and the music started up again. Everyone went back to mingling and Elphaba went back to trying to be invisible… well, as invisible as she could be with green skin, with only Sopheila by her side. The two saw Partha approaching them and both of them sighed.

"I see you've decided to finally start wearing contacts. Those glasses make you look old," Partha said critically, looking at Elphaba.

"Mother…" Sopheila said softly.

"Elphaba, we need to talk. Alone, if you don't mind," Partha said, the second sentence directed at her daughter.

Sopheila didn't look happy, but nodded and left, casting one final glance at the green girl over her shoulder.

"Is Nessa unhappy with anything?" Elphaba asked immediately, thinking that she was going to get yelled at if Nessa being unhappy about something.

Partha blinked, then shook her head. "Nessarose is fine. I wanted to ask about… you."

"Me?"

The old woman nodded. "How have you been holding up?"

"I'm fine. Nessa is well-taken care of and doing great with her tutor and –"

"I'm not talking about Nessa."

Elphaba realized how soft her grandmother's sounded. She never sounded this soft with her before. All softness was always reserved for Nessa. "I… I've been fine."

"I…" She began awkwardly. "I wanted to… apologize… to you."

Elphaba didn't do a very good job of hiding her surprise.

"I… I haven't been very fair to you all these years, especially recently with… everything that's happened."

Was her grandmother apologizing for being a horrible grandmother to her? Elphaba was so confused. No one had ever apologized to her like this.

"But you must understand what a… how… what a shock it was when…" Partha started, then the rest of her sentence died in her throat.

She didn't have to finish that statement. Elphaba already knew what she was going to say. "When I was born," she finished for her. "I understand. It's alright."

"No." Partha shook her head. "No, it wasn't alright. I never even considered your feelings or how my treatment of you would make you feel. I couldn't look past your green skin and… other oddities, and see you. For all these years, I was never able to do that, until I saw all the things you were doing as Governor."

"Our family has been ruling Munchkinland for years. I couldn't give up our legacy," Elphaba said.

"I know. And I know this wasn't even part of the plan for you to–"

"Nessa was supposed to become governor."

Partha didn't plan on being interrupted, but played it off as best she could. "But I… I think you're doing an amazing job, Elphaba, and I… I'm so sorry about everything. I'm sorry for not giving you the support that you needed. And I… I know I'm probably one of the very last people you would want to talk to, but…" She took a breath, "I do want a relationship with you, Elphaba; a relationship we should have had from the beginning."

Elphaba's mind was reeling. She could barely think, but apparently, her mouth didn't need her mind to talk. "Okay," was all she could manage to get out.

"You're a beautiful, smart young woman, Elphaba, and you're doing a wonderful job as Governor. Your mother would be so proud of you." Partha stepped closer for a hug, but Elphaba took a small step back. It was too soon for a hug, and they all knew it. Excusing herself, the old woman went back to their table, leaving Elphaba to process what in high Oz had just happened.

"Governor Thropp."

Elphaba sighed inwardly and prepared her governor persona, but turned to find Fiyero standing behind her. She visibly relaxed and smiled softly at the prince. "Prince Fiyero, you look… very handsome," she said with a slight curtsy.

The prince was dressed in a white dress shirt with a dark blue vest and matching pants and black shoes, his brown hair neatly combed. "Thank you, Governor Thropp. You look very beautiful."

Elphaba blushed. "Elphaba."

Fiyero looked at her. "What?"

She lowered her gaze slightly. "I think we can drop the formalities now, don't you think? Plus, every time I hear someone say 'Governor Thropp', I still think they're talking to my father."

The prince smiled. "In that case, you can call me… Fiyero."

Elphaba chuckled softly. "Is there something you wanted… Fiyero?"

"Yes. I wanted to know if you would do me the honor of giving me the next dance."

Elphaba blinked. "I would give it to you, but it's not exactly mine to give away. Plus, where would you even take it?"

Fiyero laughed, albeit a bit too loudly.

"What is so amusing?"

"Not 'what'; 'who'. And _you_ are so amusing." A slow dance started and he offered her his arm.

"I'm not really one for dancing," Elphaba said, taking a small step away from him.

"Please, Elphaba?"

The green girl bit her lip, but ended up taking Fiyero's arm and allowing him to lead her to the dance floor. The prince smiled as he placed on hand on Elphaba's waist and his other hand on their shoulder and they swayed to the music. As they danced, the two slowly found the small distance between them closing, as Fiyero had wrapped his arm around Elphaba's waist and her head was leaning against his chest. It soon became clear to Fiyero that Elphaba had never been held in someone's arms like this, since she was still stiff and looked a bit apprehensive.

"You can relax, you know," Fiyero said softly into her ear. "I'm not going to bite you."

"Sorry, it's just… I've never danced with… a man before," Elphaba admitted shyly.

"We'll you haven't stepped on my to-" Fiyero bit his lip to avoid crying out when Elphaba stepped on his toes.

"Sorry," the green girl said again, looking down at her feet.

"It's okay," Fiyero said as he gently lifted her chin back up.

Elphaba's gaze met his and for a moment, neither one of them spoke. Then Elphaba awkwardly cleared her throat. "So… are you… um… enjoying yourself?" _Real smooth._

"Oh… yes. This is very fun," Fiyero smiled as he gently spun Elphaba's around.

"What do Vinkuns do for coming-of-age celebrations?" Elphaba asked once she was back in Fiyero's arms.

"My sister had a huge party. Think of this, multiplied by one hundred, plus a parade."

Elphaba laughed. "A parade?"

Fiyero nodded.

"I'm surprised Nessa didn't want a parade." The green girl looked over at her sister, who was sitting with her friends, eating cake. "Actually, I'm glad she didn't. A parade wasn't in the budget Father left for her party." She looked back at Fiyero. "I assume boys do something different?"

"Yeah. When boys turn twenty-one, we have to do military training in the army to prove that we're ready to become men. If they successfully complete the training course, there's a big celebration."

"What if you don't complete it successfully?"

"You're called a 'sissy' and banished from the country."

Elphaba blinked. "Really?"

Fiyero chuckled. "No. I actually don't know what happens if you fail. But honestly, I'd rather not think about it, since I want people to throw a party for me."

Elphaba smiled. "I… I never did ask you, but… what was it like growing up in the lap of luxury in the Vinkus?"

The prince let out a single laughed. "It's was… okay, I guess. I had a lot of privileges growing up, obviously, but… it's was still… tough. Even though my parents were extremely busy, they always made time for… my older sister. Since she is the heir to the throne, everyone gave her more attention than me. No one really cares about you when you're the second child. You're just seen as a spare. You'll only be important if something happens to your older sibling. You were only born in case something goes wrong," Fiyero said softly. "No one cares about you unless you do something wrong."

It was the exact opposite for Elphaba. Even though she was the firstborn, Nessa still got all the attention. Then again, Fiyero didn't have green skin and weird magic powers. "That's… I'm sorry, Fiyero."

"Don't be. I got over it. Well, it's what triggered my 'dancing through life' phase. I realized that since I only got attention when I misbehaved, that's what I started doing. It wasn't the attention I wanted, but it was still better than nothing."

Elphaba thought for a moment. She had spent her life trying to seem invisible to her father. When he ignored her, everyone was happy. The less she spoke and the less she was seen, the more content she was.

"Can I ask you something?"

"You just did," Elphaba smirked.

Fiyero rolled his eyes, but quickly sobered. "Do you… miss your father?"

Elphaba paused, clearly not expecting that question. "I… I don't miss him the way Nessa misses him. They had a much closer relationship. In all honesty, I don't know if I miss him at all. I miss Shiz and I miss not having to worry about the economy of Munchkinland, but _him_ … I don't know. I miss my mother, though. Even though I barely remember her, she was still my mother, and –"

"Excuse me," a soft, deep voice said.

Elphaba looked up and saw her grandfather standing beside herself and Fiyero. "Grandfather."

Romen smiled softly. "May I cut in?" he asked the prince.

Fiyero looked down at Elphaba, who smiled up at him and nodded. "Of course, sir," he said to Romen as he stepped aside, going over to the refreshment table.

"May I have this dance, Elphaba?" Romen asked his granddaughter.

Elphaba nodded and Romen gently pulled her into his arms. "I heard your grandmother spoke to you tonight."

"She did. She… apologized."

"Which is also something I need to do. Elphaba, I'm so sorry for the way I've treated you. I know that sounds very empty and those words won't fix anything, but –"

"You don't have to apologize, Grandfather," Elphaba interrupted softly.

"Yes, I do. I, like many others, wasn't able to see past your green skin, and that blinded me from seeing who you truly are; a bright, selfless girl who I should be proud to call my granddaughter."

 _My grandparents are dying_ , Elphaba convinced herself. _Why else would they be apologizing to me like this?_ "Thank you."

The two danced in silence for a while. "I remember when you were two years old," Romen said suddenly. "Your mother was around four months pregnant with Nessa at the time. Your grandmother and I had come for a visit. You were so happy when you were around your mother. You were her little green shadow, rarely leaving her side, and she loved you very much. I remember Melena putting on a record on the record player and was dancing around the parlor with you. She had picked you up in her arms and was spinning you around, both of you laughing your hearts out."

Elphaba blinked. What was compelling her grandfather to tell her this? Was he drunk? He should probably sit down for a while. But for some reason, she didn't want to leave his arms. Being wrapped in his strong arms made her feel protected; a feeling she rarely experienced.

"We… your grandmother and I… will be there for you," Romen promised, squeezing Elphaba's hand as they danced. "I… we… want you to know that. I have a high respect for everything you've had to do, Elphaba. And… I'm very proud of you."

"Thank you, Grandfather," Elphaba smiled slightly.

Romen smiled back. "And… and your mother would be very proud of you, too."

Elphaba didn't know what to make of this new warm feeling inside of her, but she was starting to like it. "Thank you."

The dance ended and Elphaba and her grandfather walked off the dance floor to the tables. Elphaba helped her grandfather sit down and went to get them both some punch.

"I've met your old roommate, Galinda," Fiyero said when he was within earshot of Elphaba as he approached.

"She's quite a card, isn't she?" Elphaba chuckled, filling two glasses.

"She likes to talk… a lot… really fast… and without taking pauses… or breaths… seriously, she was talking for, like, three minutes straight without pausing for air." Fiyero sighed. "I have a feeling she doesn't use commas… or periods… when she writes."

"She doesn't. I'm the person who had to proofread her essays."

The prince smiled and watched as Elphaba carried the two glasses of punch back to her grandfather. She sat down with him and they talked for a while.

Soon, the night began to draw to a close. Family members said goodbye to Nessa and most of them said goodbye to Elphaba without sounding like they were forced to. Some of them even smiled at her. Elphaba didn't know what to make of this sudden kindness towards her, so she simply said goodbye to everyone then helped Nessa prepare for bed.

"Thank you so much for today, Fabala," Nessa said that night as her sister tucked her in.

"Of course, Nessie. Fresh dreams," Elphaba said as she gave her sister a hug and softly kissed her forehead.

Nessa melted into her sister's embrace. "You're the best older sister ever."

Elphaba bit her lip. "You're the best little sister ever, Nessie."

Nessa sighed peacefully and was asleep within clock-ticks, exhausted from the day's activities. Elphaba smiled as she laid her sister in the bed and walked out, closing the door behind her. "You deserve so much more, Nessie," she whispered to the closed door. "You deserve _so_ much better."

* * *

 **We get to see some real Fiyeraba in the next chapter!**


	9. Midnight

Fiyero walked the halls of the Governor's Mansion, dressed in his pajamas and a robe. He couldn't sleep, so he took to wandering the halls. The only noises were from downstairs from the maids and servants cleaning the bedroom from the parlor. He had just finished a novel Elphaba had lent him. It was a fictional novel about the Munchkin civil war. He never thought he would enjoy reading a book about a war (or reading in general), but he had liked it.

He knew that he could have waited until tomorrow to give it back to her, but part of him wanted to check on her. He knew how hard this day was from her and just wanted to make sure she was okay. He didn't know what brought on these sudden feelings of caring for the governor, but he figured that if they were going to come to an agreement, they should at least have a good relationship.

He reached her room and knocked on the door. "Elphaba? Are you awake?"

Silence.

"Elphaba?"

Still no response.

If someone were to ask Fiyero today why he went into the governor's room, he still wouldn't be able to tell them. But he went in, and for some reason, feared the worst. What if something had happened to her? What if she was kidnapped? What if someone had snuck into her room and stabbed her and she was currently slowly dying as she lost blood and…

Okay, he had _no_ idea where _that_ last scenario came from, but it started to feel real to him when Elphaba's room was empty and the window was open.

"Elphaba?"

"Fiyero? Is that you?"

Fiyero blinked. It sounded like Elphaba's voice was coming from outside. He hurried to the window and looked out, but didn't see her.

"Up here."

He looked up and saw Elphaba sitting on the roof, looking down at him. "Elphaba? What are you doing up there?"

"I think a more appropriate question would be what are you doing in my room?" Elphaba asked, her eyes narrowed slightly.

"In my defense, I knocked, but you didn't answer," Fiyero said as he held up the novel. "I came to return your book."

"That could have waited until tomorrow."

Fiyero blinked, then sighed. "I know. I'm sorry. I'll just go back to my –"

"Wait," Elphaba interrupted him. "I… I'm sorry."

The prince smiled softly. "What are you doing on the roof?"

Elphaba shrugged. "Just… thinking."

"Are you alright?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because… you're thinking… on the roof. And it's just that… Nessa's birthday also means the anniversary of your mother's death and…" Fiyero could tell that judging by the look Elphaba was giving him, he wasn't supposed to know about that… much less say that to her. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…"

"Nessa told you that, didn't she?" Elphaba sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

He nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah. She did."

"I'm fine. I got through it, just like I do every year."

"Would you… like some company?" The question slipped out before Fiyero's brain had a chance to fully process it.

Elphaba looked down at him, surprised, before she smiled softly and nodded. "Sure."

"Um… how did you even get up there?"

"I flew," Elphaba said seriously.

Fiyero blinked at her, and Elphaba tilted her head back and cackled.

"I climbed up that tree," Elphaba said, nodding her head behind Fiyero.

The prince turned and saw said-tree and used it to climb up (as naturally as a monkey, Elphaba noted) to the roof and sat next to the green girl.

"It's a beautiful night," Fiyero commented.

"Yeah, it is," Elphaba hummed.

"What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing much. Just… things."

Fiyero nodded. He wanted to start a conversation with Elphaba, but he wasn't exactly sure how to do it to get her to talk to him. "So… what made you want to go to Shiz?" was what he finally decided on.

Elphaba looked at him briefly before reverting her gaze to the horizon. "It wasn't exactly that I _wanted_ to go. My father told me that if I wanted to go to college, I would have to go to Munchkinland University, since it was close and I could still care for Nessa. But then Nessa declared –and I do mean _declared_ – that she wanted to go to Shiz University, but it would be slightly harder for her to be accepted since she was homeschooled. Since Shiz has a policy where they favor the siblings and children of alumnae, my father told me to apply for Nessa. I did and I got accepted, so that's where I went."

"So… you didn't want to go?"

"I… It wasn't my first choice, but... I was interested in it. It had a wonderful history department and…" She trailed off, not wanting to finish that thought.

"Does… Nessa know?"

Elphaba chuckled softly. "Does she know that I was practically forced to go to Shiz because of her? Of course not. She doesn't know about that, nor does she know about how –" Elphaba stopped short. "She… she doesn't know about why I went to Shiz." She gave the prince a look. "And I would like to keep it that way."

Fiyero nodded his understanding. "Of course." He paused for a moment before asking, "Did you like it there?"

"I did, even though my father made it very clear about the real reason I was going to Shiz. The only reason I was there was to make it easier for Nessa to be accepted, but that didn't mean I couldn't at least try to have a good college experience."

Fiyero studied the green girl as she spoke. He was captivated by the way her voice seemed to float with the passing breeze, the way the moonlight reflected off of her emerald green skin, the way her chocolate eyes seemed to sparkle, the way her long, raven locks of hair danced in the breeze, the way her…

"Fiyero?"

The prince blinked. "Hmm?"

"Are you okay?"

"… Okay?"

"You were staring at me. Is something wrong?"

Maybe the evening air was playing with his brain, or maybe it was because he was sitting on the roof of the Governor's Mansion with the teenage Governor of Munchkinland, or maybe his hormones were imbalanced, but what came out of Fiyero's mouth was, "You look really beautiful." He sounded like a teenage boy, and honestly, he felt like on, too. Especially when he started blushing as soon as the word "beautiful" left his mouth.

Elphaba gaped at him. Her eyes were wide and her mouth was slightly ajar. It was clear that she didn't know what to say or how to respond.

"Sorry, that was a stupid thing for me to say."

And _that_ was the _wrong_ thing for him to say. Elphaba immediately frowned and looked away, finding a leaf floating in the wind very interesting.

"Wait… I didn't mean it like that, Elphaba. Oz, that was embarrassing. I know that came out of nowhere. I didn't mean it, but –"

"It's okay, Fiyero," Elphaba said softly. "I… I know you didn't mean it."

"I… I…" The prince took a deep breath. "I… did mean it."

Elphaba looked at him skeptically and pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs.

"You do… look really beautiful, especially right now. The way your hair flows in the breeze, the way the moon is reflecting off of your skin, the way your brown eyes are shinning… it's… beautiful."

Elphaba was still looking at him with a look the prince couldn't identify. She looked at him for a clock-tick before she turned away again. "You don't have to lie to me."

"It's not lying," the prince said immediately. "It's… looking at things another way." He could tell that Elphaba really wanted to believe him, but something was stopping her. Unbeknownst to him, it was a lifetime of being ignored, ridiculed, and called 'ugly', 'mistake', and 'abomination'.

Silently, Fiyero reached out and gently took Elphaba's hand in his own. The green girl looked at their joint hands, trying to ignore the spark that just shot up her arm, before looking into the prince's eyes. That was a big mistake. She immediately found herself getting lost in those piercing, yet soft, blue orbs. She saw the care and concern he had for her in them, and another feeling she couldn't identify. It calmed her, yet it also scared her at the same time. She looked back down at their joint hands.

"Thanks," she said softly, gently pulling her hand away.

 _Damn it, Tigulaar_ , Fiyero cursed himself. _Now you've made her uncomfortable. She'll probably never want you to talk to her ever again. You'll probably have to start calling her 'Governor Thropp' again._

"I… I should get back to bed now," Elphaba said, uncurling her legs from her chest.

"Oh… yes… I probably should, too," Fiyero said as he inched closer to the tree and climbed down back into Elphaba's room.

The green girl followed him and the two looked at each other.

"Well… um… good night, Elphaba," the prince said, nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

"Good night, Fiyero," Elphaba said, fighting a blush.

Fiyero didn't know what came over him, but in that moment, he _really_ wanted to kiss Elphaba. They were perfectly set up, and all he had to do was lean down and capture her lips in his. But instead, he nodded and turned away to leave.

"Fiyero?"

He turned. "Yes?"

"Could we… keep this conversation just between the two of us? I don't want Nessa freaking out because I was on the roof… with you… unchaperoned."

"But… we didn't do anything. We were just… talking."

"I know that, and you know that, but Nessa doesn't. And she's a horrible gossip. The last thing I need is for her to know and the next thing you know, all of Munchkinland is talking… even more than they already do."

The prince smiled and nodded slightly. "Of course."

Elphaba nodded. "Good. Thank you. Good night."

"Good night," the prince said as he left the room, closing the door behind him.

* * *

Fiyero smiled as he neatly signed two copies of the trade document on the governor's desk. Elphaba stood across from him, smiling slightly as she watched him.

"I'm glad we have come to an understanding," Elphaba smiled, nodding to one of her advisors, who took the paper and with a slight bow, left the office.

"I am as well," Fiyero smiled. He was very proud of himself that he was actually able to negotiate a trade agreement with the Governor.

"In all honesty, despite the rough patches you had in the beginning, this was one of the more enjoyable trade agreements I've done so far."

"What do you mean?"

"A lot of the older rulers think that they can manipulate me because I'm young. They try to come up with trading agreements and tariffs that are unfair to Munchkinland and are surprised when I catch on," Elphaba said with a slight smirk.

"I actually would have thought you would do the same thing to me," Fiyero said.

"I could have," Elphaba pondered, tilting her head slightly to the side. "But that wouldn't have been very fair. And besides, if I had done that, I'm pretty sure your parents would have sent you right back here to fix it."

"They wouldn't have been mad at you. They would have been mad at me for failing to realize the unfair trade agreements."

"Then I'm glad all of that has been avoided."

"Me, too."

"Well, Prince Fiyero, you still have the rest of today and tomorrow in Munchkinland. What would you like to do?"

"Well, you've never given me a tour of the mansion," Fiyero said with a slight smirk.

"A tour of the mansion? You're leaving in a less than forty-two hours and you want a tour of the mansion?"

"Well, you never offered me one."

Elphaba rolled her eyes, but chuckled. "Of course. Follow me."

Fiyero beamed behind the governor's back as she led him through the mansion, starting on the ground floor.

"And this," Elphaba said as they walked through the dining room and stopped in front of a swinging door, "is the kitchen."

She opened it and led him inside and her eyes immediately fell on a bowl of chocolate sitting on the counter. Looking around, she went to the drawer and grabbed two spoons. Heading back to Fiyero, she held one out. "Here. Try the Munchkin chocolate."

"Are you sure no one will mind?"

"I'm the governor," Elphaba pointed out. "Of course not."

Fiyero smiled and the two filled the spoons with the chocolate mixture. Elphaba moaned in contentment as soon as the chocolate touched her taste buds. Fiyero smiled, loving the taste of Munchkin chocolate.

"What do we have here?"

The two stiffened and whipped around, seeing a middle-aged woman in an apron standing behind them, a smirk on her face.

Elphaba swallowed the chocolate in her mouth, wiping the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand. "Um… hello, Madame Javits. I was… um… just showing Prince Fiyero -"

"How old habits die hard," Madame Javits chuckled, clearly amused.

Fiyero looked between the two and figured that this wasn't the first time Elphaba had snuck into the kitchen to sample the chocolate. His eyes rested on Elphaba and he realized how she was blushing. She looked really cute when she blushed.

The cook looked at the bowl and chuckled. "I see that I have returned before the bowl was found empty."

"Prince Fiyero wanted a taste of Munchkin chocolate."

"Why are you blaming this on me?" Fiyero asked.

"Because you did, did you not?"

"Well, there is no harm done," Madame Javits said before the two could get into an argument. "But if you want chocolate cake for dessert, I suggest that you leave the 'sampling' for after the dessert is served."

"I take it you like chocolate," Fiyero said as they were shooed out of the kitchen.

"I love chocolate," Elphaba said with a little laugh.

"And I take it that wasn't the first time you have snuck into the kitchen."

"No, it's not. I used to do it all the time when I was younger. My father never found out, of course. It was just one of the many secrets I've kept from him."

Fiyero put that last statement in his back pocket for later and let Elphaba lead him through the rest of the mansion. He got to see the music room, gallery, library, an old nursery, drawing room, sewing room, and Elphaba's private study. Once they were done inside, they went to the gardens and settled for a leisurely stroll.

"You have a really beautiful home, Elphaba," Fiyero said casually.

"Sometimes I forget that it's mine," Elphaba said. "I suppose it's going to be a while until I really get used to being governor."

"What's that?" Fiyero asked when they reached an oak tree with a rope and a thick plank of wood attached to it.

Elphaba smiled softly. "It's a swing. My aunt said she and my mother used to swing on it all the time when they were children. It also became my special spot when I wanted to get out of the house and… think."

Fiyero smiled as he gently took Elphaba's hand and led her towards the tree. Figuring out what the prince wanted, the green girl allowed herself to be lead and sat down on the wooden plank.

She felt Fiyero position himself behind her and gently began to push her. Elphaba smiled as the gentle breeze whipped past her face and through her hair. A soft chuckle slipped past her lips as she flew back and forth on the swing, smiling slightly when she felt Fiyero's hand press against the small of her back as he pushed her into the air.

Slowly, he began to pull the swing to a stop and Elphaba got off, gesturing to the prince that it was now his turn. Fiyero shook his head, not wanting a turn, but Elphaba was persistent and persuasive and somehow, he found himself sitting down on the plank and Elphaba pushing him into the air.

The moment he heard his laughter mix with Elphaba's was when he knew. Of course he had feelings before, but now, he really knew.

He was falling in love with Elphaba Thropp, the Governor of Munchkinland.

* * *

 **Ahh, yes. Sweet, sweet Fiyeraba. So nice.**

 **Also, I realized that I haven't made anyone angry yet. Hmm… that'll change in the next chapter. *Cackle***


	10. Changed

**Satilliteheart: Don't worry. The Fiyeraba will have their first kiss later. I promise.**

 **ElphieNeedsAHug: Elphaba contracting the plague… I didn't think of that. Thank you so much for that idea! MWAHAHAHA!**

* * *

It was Tuesday afternoon when Fiyero started packing up his belongings. He knew he could have asked a maid to do it, but the last thing he wanted was for one of the maids going through his underwear. He closed his suitcase with a huff before he realized that the clothes he was currently wearing and the pajamas he would be wearing that night also had to be packed. And he also had to get his clothes for tomorrow out. Cursing his brainlessness, he placed the suitcase on the floor. He could do all of that later. All of that packing made him thirsty. He walked down the stairs towards the parlor, and smiled when he saw the younger Thropp sitting there.

"Hello, Miss Nessarose," the prince smiled.

"Hello, Prince Fiyero," the brunette blushed.

Fiyero sat down and the two had a brief conversation before Nessa excused herself.

"Actually, Prince Fiyero, could you do me a favor?"

"What is it?"

"Could you accompany me to the library? There's a book I have to check out."

Fiyero smiled and nodded. "Of course, Miss Nessarose. But… can't you just take books from the library?"

"Without checking them out?" Nessa blinked. "I think that's stealing."

"But it's your library."

Nessa blinked again, then realized what the prince thought she meant. "Oh no. You misunderstood me. I meant the public library in town."

Fiyero blinked. Was he allowed to take Nessa out? "Where is your sister?"

"She's in a very important meeting with her advisors and asked not to be disturbed unless 'a comet crashed into the mansion and all of Oz was falling apart'," Nessa answered, using air-quotes.

"What do you need the book for?"

"I need the book for my private lessons. Please, Prince Fiyero?"

Fiyero didn't remember saying 'yes', but the next thing he knew, he was pushing the brunette's wheelchair down the path to town. He had inquired about taking the carriage, but Nessa said that they didn't need it.

"It's a beautiful day," she said. "We can walk."

 _I can walk. You can sit there and watch me to all the work_ , Fiyero thought, using all of his body strength to push the chair. It really wasn't that heavy, but he just wasn't used to pushing it.

By the time they reached the library, all Fiyero wanted to do was collapse onto a bed and sleep for the rest of the year. He waited for Nessa to get her book and watched as she placed it in her bag on the back of her chair.

"There's one more stop I wanted to make," Nessa said as Fiyero positioned himself behind her chair.

"Where's that?"

"Castley's Caupona."

"What's that?"

"Down the street, make a left, and it's the third building."

"Not where… _what_?"

"It's a… restaurant."

Fiyero wasn't _that_ brainless. "Miss Nessarose, if you don't tell me what the place is, we will have to go back to the mansion."

"It's a restaurant," Nessa repeated, more confidently that time.

"And why do you want to go to a restaurant? We just had lunch a few hours ago."

"I wanted to pick up some Munchkin Chiramu."

Fiyero was getting even more confused and annoyed by the clock-tick.

"It's a coffee-flavored custard topped with chocolate sauce. I wanted to surprise Elphaba."

Fiyero thought it was sweet for her to want to surprise her sister, so, against his better judgment, he took Nessa to the restaurant, but as soon as he entered, he knew that it was a big mistake.

Castley's Caupona wasn't a restaurant. It was a _pub_!

"Nessa, you have _got_ to be kidding me!" he hissed, looking down at the younger Thropp. "You made me bring you to a pub! We're leaving now!"

"Wait!" Nessa said, locking the breaks on her chair before Fiyero could move her. "Can't we stay for a few minutes?"

"No! Hell and Oz, no!" He tried to move the chair, but it wouldn't budge. "Nessa, unlock your breaks! Now!"

"I want to stay," Nessa said in a commanding voice. "I'm old enough to drink now."

"Why did you say this place was a restaurant?"

"Would you have taken me if I told you the truth?"

 _Is she serious?_ "Hell and Oz no!" Fiyero exclaimed with an incredulous look.

"Exactly my point."

"Nessa, we have to leave now! I have a bad feeling about this. If your sister finds out –"

"She'll be in that meeting until dinner. That gives us plenty of time. We'll be back before she even knew we left."

Fiyero suddenly realized why Nessa didn't want to take the carriage. Oz, she was good. "How long have you been waiting to sneak out like this?"

"Isn't this what every teenager does? Sneak out and have fun when the people to spoil their fun aren't paying attention? I have a right to do what every other teenager does. But at least I waited until I'm legal."

Fiyero was sure that if he didn't get Nessa out of here soon, he was going to be _legally_ dead. "But what would Elphaba –"

"She's not around right now. Come on, Prince Fiyero! Let's have a little fun while we can."

Fiyero looked down and realized Nessa was giving him a look that told him he wasn't supposed to say 'no' to her. So he gave in. "But I won't let you get drunk."

Nessa muttered something under her breath, but Fiyero thought it sounded like, "We'll see about that."

"What about that dessert you said you wanted to get for her?"

"They sell it here. I wasn't lying about that. We can get it before we leave. Table for two, please!" Nessa called, unlocking her wheelchair.

Fiyero sighed. Nessa was old enough to drink, and as long as he made sure she did it responsibly, he didn't see the harm in indulging her. And he could go for a few drinks himself. He followed Nessa to a table and sat down across from her. A server came over and asked for their orders, and Fiyero made sure Nessa's drinks were diluted in water, which didn't please the brunette in the slightest.

Around Fiyero's fourth or fifth drink, he began to feel himself getting tipsy, but he didn't want to stop. Munchkin alcohol was very different from Vinkun alcohol. It was more potent with an extra kick to it. It was also very addictive and Fiyero couldn't help but want more. The tipsier he got, the less he monitored Nessa's drink and no longer told the server to make it ninety-eight percent water and two percent drink. Nessa, of course, took advantage of that and began to order some real drinks, already putting the tab in her sister's name.

A few hours later, Elphaba finished the meeting with her advisors and went in search of her sister and the prince, figuring that they would be together. She checked the parlor, library, kitchen, dining hall, and the gardens, but they were nowhere to be found. She asked a maid, who said that she saw the prince and Nessa go outside, so Elphaba checked the gardens again, but still came up empty.

Starting to get worried, Elphaba ran over every possible place they could be. She checked virtually every single room in the mansion.

"Madame Governor?" a servant said when he saw Elphaba hurrying down the hall.

"Have you seen Nessa and Fiyero?" Elphaba asked, gasping for air.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, I haven't. I have been informed that Master Boq is waiting in the parlor for you."

Elphaba sighed. She really didn't want to have to deal with her sister's crush when she couldn't find her sister. But she nodded anyway and followed the servant down the stairs to the parlor.

"Hi, Elphaba," the Munchkin smiled when he saw the green girl.

"Hello, Boq," Elphaba said tiredly, and a bit out of breath. "I'm sorry, but Nessa doesn't seem to be –"

"I know where she is," the Munchkin said sheepishly.

"Did she sneak out and go to your house?" Elphaba asked, hope edged within in her voice. She would have to have a conversation with her sister about sneaking out, but she would rather her sneak out to Boq's house than someplace else.

"Um… not really. No," the Munchkin said, shrinking slightly.

"Boq," Elphaba said, leveling a look with the Munchkin. "Where is my sister? Is she alright? Is she hurt? Is she with Prince Fiyero?"

"She's… I don't know if she's _fine_ or not. I don't think she's hurt, and yes, she is with Prince Fiyero."

"Where is she, Boq?"

"I actually saw her go into town. She was going to the –"

"Boq!"

"… Library."

"Is that where she is right now?"

"… Not exactly."

Elphaba took a deep breath. "Boq, I swear to all Oz, if you don't tell me where Nessarose is right now, I will turn you into a bug and crush you so hard that –"

"She's at Castley's Caupona," Boq quickly confessed, not wanting Elphaba to finish her threat.

Elphaba froze and paled. "Please tell me you're joking."

"I was walking home late because I had rehearsal for the community theater show. I passed the caupona when something caught my eye. I looked in the tinted window and I saw someone who looked an awful lot like Prince Fiyero. Nessa was sitting in a corner. I never even noticed that the caupona was open this early."

Elphaba's mind was reeling. Fiyero had taken her sister to a pub? Oh, she was _so_ going to have his head on a platter for this. She hurried out, ignoring the Munchkin, and ran out the door, ignoring the guards calls as to whether she wanted the carriage or an escort.

Adrenaline was coursing through her veins, and she could feel her body temperature rising steadily with her anger. How could Fiyero do this? Had he learned nothing about responsibility from his time there? She walked through the town fuming, ignoring all the Munchkins she passed.

"I don't know who did what to piss her off, but I'm glad it wasn't me," she heard someone say, but didn't pay it much attention. She had bigger fish to fry… literally.

She opened the door to Castley's Caupona and didn't even flinch at the loud rebound noise it made. Her piercing gaze immediately fell on Fiyero, who was singing and dancing on a table with no shirt on, the people around him cheering enthusiastically. Elphaba could tell that he was purposefully singing loud and way off-key, because no one could possibly be _that_ tone deaf.

"Oh, dancing through life, swaying and sweeping, and always keeping cool," the prince sang, clearly very drunk. "Life is fraught less, when you're thoughtless. Those who don't try, never look foolish!"

Elphaba looked over and saw her sister sitting at a table, drinking what looked like Munchkin Sangria, giggling as she watched the prince dance and sing while sipping her drink. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. "WHAT IS OZ'S NAME IS GOING ON IN HERE?!" she bellowed, her voice seemingly sounding amplified.

Everyone around Fiyero quieted down, now noticing their very steamed-looking governor. Nessa looked up and paled at the sight of her sister.

Fiyero looked up and all the blood rushed out of his face. He had never sobered so quickly in his life. He quickly jumped off the table and threw on his shirt. "Elphaba, what –"

"Don't. You. Dare. Speak. One. Word. To. Me," Elphaba snarled, glaring daggers at him before turning to Nessa. She stalked over to her and tore the drink from her hand. "We're leaving, Nessarose. Now."

"But, Elphaba –"

"Don't. Speak. To. Me," she hissed, forcibly unlocking her sister's chair and pushing her out the door.

"Well, it seems the artichoke is steamed," a drunken voice chuckled from the left.

Elphaba flicked her wrist in that direction and the owner of the voice flew backwards into the wall, sliding down to the floor with a groan as Elphaba and Nessa left the building.

Everyone was much too stunned to speak or move, but then Elphaba shouted, "FIYERO TIGULAAR, GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE THIS OZDAMNED SECOND!" Gulping, Fiyero hurriedly walked out of the pub, the door slamming behind him.

Elphaba hurriedly pushed her sister's chair through the streets, not looking anywhere except directly in front of her. She was so worried that if someone tried to talk to her, she would end up snapping at them, and that's the last thing she wanted. Well… one of the last things she wanted.

"Elphaba, I can explain," Fiyero tried to say, but Elphaba cut him off.

"Don't speak to me."

"But if you just let me explain –"

"Shut up!"

"But I can –"

Elphaba raised her hand and closed it into a fist, and Fiyero choked on his words. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out and he realized that his voice gone. He gave Elphaba a look, which she clearly ignored.

"Fabala –"

"Do you want me to do the same to you, Nessa?" Elphaba snapped.

Nessa wisely shut her mouth and bowed her head, not saying a peep all the way back to the mansion.

When they walked through the front door, Elphaba promptly shooed the maids and servants away and dismissed the doorman. She pushed Nessa into her office and made sure Fiyero was behind her before she closed the door behind her. She walked over to the window and looked out over the gardens, her hands locked behind her back.

"For Oz sakes, Elphaba, say something," Nessa said, not being able to take the silence any longer.

"What do you want me to say, Nessa?" Elphaba asked coldly, not turning around. "What am I supposed to say when I find you in a pub in the middle of the day getting drunk?"

"I just wanted to have a little fun."

"Fun?" Elphaba asked as she slowly turned around. "Nessa, anything could have happened to you in there. And you," she said, directing her gaze to Fiyero. "What were you thinking? Wait, I know what you were thinking, and you _weren't_ thinking at all!"

Fiyero simply looked at the green girl, not being able to say anything. With a frustrated grunt, Elphaba waved her hand and Fiyero got his voice back.

"Elphaba," he said, though his voice was slightly hoarse. "Let me explain."

Elphaba crossed her arms, but didn't say anything, giving the Vinkun permission to continue.

Fiyero coughed and tried to clear his throat. "Nessa asked me to come to the library with her and on the way back, she said she wanted to get you some… some…"

"Chiramu," Nessa quipped softly.

"Yes, that. She said Castley's Caupona was a restaurant."

"'Caupona' means 'pub' in Munchkin," Elphaba sighed. "Though I couldn't have expected _you_ to know that."

Fiyero knew that that was a 'brainless' comment, but let it slide. He knew he was in enough trouble already. "Nessa said that since she was now old enough to drink –"

"Just because she's old enough doesn't mean she should," Elphaba interrupted, briefly turning her attention back to her sister. "And how did you end up shirtless on a table singing that ridiculous song?"

"I… might have had a few drinks," Fiyero admitted sheepishly. "Munchkin drinks are really strong." He chuckled softly, then immediately stopped when he saw Elphaba's face. "We were just about to head back –"

"No, you were just about to go into the second verse of that stupid song," the governor scowled.

"Elphaba –"

"I thought you had changed," she hissed in disappointment. "I thought you would have learned to be more responsible and _think_. But I was wrong. I allowed myself to believe that, which is my own fault."

"Elphaba, I think you're blowing this whole thing out of proportion," Fiyero said. He then noticed the green sparks dancing around Elphaba's fingertips and wisely shut his mouth.

"Out of proportion? You think I'm blowing this out of proportion? I have every right to be furious at both of you, and I am! Not only did you both sneak out and not tell anyone where you were going, but you go to a pub in the middle of the day and not only embarrass yourselves, but also me! What am I supposed to say when people ask me why my younger sister found drinking with the Prince of the Vinkus?"

"Nothing happened, Elphaba," Nessa said. "At least nothing we did was illegal!"

"Just because it wasn't illegal doesn't mean you should have done it! For Oz sakes, Nessa, you could have been hurt, or worse! Those pubs are dangerous and you know that and you shouldn't have been there!"

"But nothing happened! I'm fine! You don't have to overprotect me anymore, Elphaba! I'm an adult now."

"Your age doesn't prove anything, Nessa. It doesn't matter. You're still a child. You've never experienced the real world and you don't know how dangerous it is! What if someone who doesn't like me tried to hurt you? Then what?"

"Then it wouldn't be _my_ fault, now would it?"

Elphaba's retort died in her throat and she turned away from her sister, crossing her arms over her chest.

Fiyero sighed. "Look, Elphaba –"

"That's _Governor Thropp_ to you," Elphaba said stiffly.

"Elphaba," Fiyero insisted and Elphaba felt her magic coming back. "I'm sorry. I messed up and I made a mistake. It won't happen again."

"I know it won't. You're leaving tomorrow morning… unless you planned on sneaking out again tonight."

Fiyero deflated. "Elph-"

"Go finish packing your belongings, Prince Fiyero," Elphaba said with nothing but cold hardness in her eyes.

Fiyero looked at Elphaba, then at Nessa before he left the office, closing the door behind him.

"Elphaba, you're getting upset for no reason," Nessa said, crossing her arms. "Like I said, it wasn't illegal, so I don't know why –"

"All of the sacrifices that I've made for you and you do this!?" the green girl fumed.

"But I didn't do anything wrong! My drinking wasn't illegal and –"

"Do I have to raise the drinking age for all of Munchkinland just to make it illegal for you to go?"

"Now that's just ridiculous."

"If it's within my power to do, it's not ridiculous. What were you thinking?"

"I just wanted to do what other seventeen-year-olds can do."

"You've been seventeen for less than three whole days! What do you know about what seventeen-year-olds can do?"

"I just wanted to have a little fun!"

"Believe me, Nessa, if I hadn't come, someone else could have been having _fun_ with you, and trust me, you wouldn't be the one having fun."

Nessa paled. "Are you saying that I could have been –"

"Raped? Left in an alley to die? Yes. Yes, I am. And that's just my point! You don't know how dangerous it is out there. You think that nothing bad could ever happen to you. I trusted you to always do the right thing, but clearly, I have misplaced my trust." She turned away from her sister. "You're young and innocent, which is not your fault. Father didn't want to expose you to a lot of things out there."

"Are you blaming Father?" Nessa asked, horrified.

"No, I'm not blaming Father. I'm blaming myself. I'm blaming myself for a lot of things." She took a deep breath. "From now on, you're not going to leave the mansion grounds without a chaperone, whether it be myself, your tutor, or a guard."

Nessa gasped. "What?!"

"And when you do go out with a chaperone, you're only allowed to go to the library. And… you're not going to the homecoming dance with Boq."

"What?" Nessa gasped. "Fabala, that's not fair!"

"It most certainly is! You knew you had no business being in a pub!"

"So I was lonely! You were busy and I wanted to have some fun! Prince Fiyero –"

"I don't care what your excuse is! My answer is final!"

"You can't do that! You're not my mother!"

"You're right," Elphaba said evenly. "I'm not your mother. Along with becoming governor, I was also promoted to being your legal guardian when we were orphaned five months ago. I've stopped being your older sister a long time ago, Nessa. You needed a mother and I had to fill that slot. I've made so many sacrifices for you that only a mother should have to make. And whether you like it or not, my decision is final. And if my word isn't enough, I will make an official proclamation as Governor just to let you know exactly how serious I am."

"I HATE YOU!" Nessa shouted, tears streaming down her face as she hurriedly wheeled out of her sister's office, slamming the door behind her.

Elphaba bit her lip as she turned back to the window. She felt the tears well up in her eyes and didn't even try to stop them from sliding down her cheek. "It's never enough," she whispered to herself. "Why is it never enough?"

* * *

 **Chiramu is based on tiramisu, which is an Italian coffee-flavored custard.**

 **Well... that put a dent in the developing Fiyeraba. *Cackles as lightning flashes behind her* BOW BEFORE THE QUEEN!**


	11. Happy Beginning Part 1

**Yes, yes, we're all disappointed in Nessa and Fiyero. The Thropp sisterly love and the future potential Fiyeraba have been put to the test, but will they overcome it? MWAHAHA!**

 **Ultimate Queen of Cliffies: For the purposes of this story, we're just gonna assume that it's the virgin Tiramisu. I think the characters have had enough dealings with alcohol for now.**

* * *

Dinner was a silent affair. Nessa had locked herself in her room and refused to come out, leaving Elphaba and Fiyero to have dinner alone. Elphaba refused to look up from her plate at the prince, and Fiyero felt too guilty to look at the Governor, thinking that if he did, she would turn him into a toad, or something equally as horrendible. He wanted to say something, but didn't want to upset the Governor further. This wasn't how he pictured his final night in Munchkinland going.

Elphaba excused herself as soon as she finished eating, not staying for dessert. Fiyero ate his dessert, and then left the table. He figured that he should at least try to talk to Elphaba. He decided to give her a few more hours to calm down. Besides, he knew he was the last person she would ever want to see… much less talk to.

Elphaba walked down the hall to her sister's room and knocked on the door. "Nessa?"

Silence.

"Nessie?"

"Go away!"

"I just want to talk to you. May I come in?"

"No!"

"Nessa, I'm not going to yell at you anymore. Please, I just want to –"

"I said go away!" Nessa shouted, and Elphaba heard something, probably a pillow, hit the door.

Elphaba waved her hand and a plate with a slice of yellow cake with chocolate frosting appeared in her hand. "I have cake."

Nessa didn't tell her to go away again, so the green girl slowly opened the door. Nessa was sitting by her bed, clutching her stuffed bear to her chest. She looked up at her sister and frowned before turning away.

"Nessie," Elphaba said softly. She placed the cake on the nightstand and knelt in front of her sister's chair. "I'm sorry I got so angry with you."

"You should be," Nessa said, still refusing to look at her sister.

"But, Nessa, you must understand how I feel."

"Why should I? You don't understand how _I_ feel. All of my life, I've depended on you. How do you think that feels?"

"I don't think it feels very good," Elphaba said softly.

"It doesn't."

"I'm sorry you've felt that way."

"You should be, since it's your fault."

The green girl knew that her sister was still very upset with her, but that hurtful comment stung. "I know. I'm sorry."

"Why did you even come in here?"

"I came in here to check up on you."

"Why?"

"Why? Because I care about you, Nessa. I don't want to go to sleep angry with you and I don't want you to go to sleep angry with me."

"Why is that so important to you?"

Elphaba regarded her sister. "Because it's not healthy to go to sleep angry with the person you love. You're the closest family I have, Nessa."

The brunette noticed how her sister didn't say 'the closest family _we_ have', and secretly knew why. She looked at the green girl.

"I don't want to be mad at you," Elphaba said sincerely. "I was just so worried and scared and relieved at the same time that it just came out as… mad."

"My friends do it," Nessa said. "Kika said that once she turned seventeen, she went out with her friends and had a few drinks and had fun."

"Nessie, you can still have fun without drinking. Just because you're old enough –"

"But I want to have the fun all the other teenagers get to have."

"You're not old enough to have that type of 'fun', Nessa. And neither are they."

"You just don't want me to grow up," the brunette huffed, getting upset all over again. "You want me to stay an innocent child forever."

"That's not true, Nessa," Elphaba said before taking a deep breath. "I've done everything I can for you, and… this is hard for me, too. It's hard to see the person you've taken care of since they were little grow up. I understand this is a very tough age for you and –"

"Fabala, stop trying to sound old and wise. You're only a year older than me."

Elphaba took that as her sister's attempt at a joke and chuckled softly. "I… I realize that I can't protect you from everything, but the things I can protect you from… I… I just don't want to see you get hurt."

"I'm not a helpless baby, Elphaba."

"I know you aren't."

"Everyone thinks I'm a goody-goody," the brunette muttered. "No one wants to talk to me because they think I'm still a child."

Elphaba also knew another reason why the teenagers wouldn't want to talk to Nessa, but decided to keep that to herself, especially now. "Nessa –"

"You can't protect me from everything, Elphaba. I want to live. I want to make mistakes and be a teenager."

"But I don't want you making mistakes that you'll never be able to get over," Elphaba tried to gently insist.

Nessa frowned and turned away.

"I'm sorry, Nessie. All of this… it's my fault."

Nessa detected a deeper meaning and turned to face her sister. "What?"

"I suppose I… might have overreacted a little bit. I didn't mean to yell at you the way I did and… I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, too, Fabala," Nessa said as her sister hugged her, filing away the double meaning for later.

"And… if you can prove to me that I can trust you again, I'll let you go to the dance with Boq," Elphaba said as she gently pulled away and tenderly brushed her sister's hair behind her ear.

The brunette gave her sister a watery smile and nodded. "Okay."

Elphaba smiled and reached over to grab the cake. Nessa giggled as her sister handed it to her and she slowly began to eat it. Once she was sure that Nessa was alright, she walked out in search of Fiyero. She went to his room and knocked softly on his door. It opened a few clock-ticks later, revealing the prince.

"Oh. Your Governorship," Fiyero said formally with a slight bow.

"Prince Fiyero," Elphaba said, but didn't curtsy. "Can we… talk?"

Fiyero blinked, but stepped aside, allowing the green girl to enter the room. The first thing Elphaba's eyes fell on was the almost packed suitcase on the bed.

"First, I… even though I don't condone what you did, I… I want to apologize to you for… somewhat overreacting."

Fiyero could tell how hard it was for the governor to get that out, and suspected she had a conversation with her sister. "You don't have to apologize. I should be the one apologizing. I should have just taken Nessa back here instead of letting her stay."

"That's not completely your fault. Nessa can be… manipulative when she really wants to get her way."

Fiyero gave her a lopsided grin. "I… I really am sorry."

"I know, Fiyero," Elphaba said as she ran her fingers through her hair.

Fiyero took the dropping of his title as a good sign and his lopsided grin widened slightly. "So, are we… okay?"

Elphaba's lips twitched. "I… suppose so. I don't want you last night in Munchkinland to end on a sour note."

"Yeah."

"Yeah."

The two smiled at each other in silence for a while. Before the two of them knew it, the distance between them had closed and they could feel their breath mix.

"Fiyero…" Elphaba whispered. "What…"

Fiyero finished closing the distance between them and pressed his lips against hers. Elphaba gasped and tried to pull away, but Fiyero gently pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. Elphaba's weak protests soon ceased and she melted into the kiss with the prince. A soft moan slipped from her throat and had the prince's lips not been previously occupied, he would have smiled.

The two eventually pulled away, slowly and carefully, looking into each other's eyes. They were both slightly out of breath and trying to regain their air supply before they spoke.

"Elphaba…" Fiyero whispered, bring the first one to catch his breath.

Elphaba gaped at him in silence, which started to worry the prince. What was she thinking? Oh Oz, what was _he_ thinking? He can't just kiss the ruler of a country like that! They barely knew each other. And she had just forgiven him for being brainless.

"I…" Elphaba said softly. The prince held his breath. "I… I have to go." The green girl turned and bolted out of the room.

"Elphaba, wait!" Fiyero called after her, going into the hallway, but the governor was gone. The prince went back into his room and closed the door. With a sigh, he slowly sank to the floor and buried his hands in his face.

* * *

Fiyero sighed as he looked out the window. He was going back to the Vinkus and still, Elphaba refused to say anything to him. When he was called down for breakfast, he saw Elphaba and Nessa already seated. The governor talked to her younger sister, but when he tried to talk to her, she would either change the subject or pretend she didn't hear him. The brunette clearly noticed this, but didn't say anything.

After breakfast, Nessa excused herself to get a book from the library for her tutor, leaving the green girl alone with the prince. Elphaba stood and motioned for the prince to follow her out of the dining room. Fiyero obeyed and Elphaba led him into the empty foyer and turned to face him.

The governor sighed. "Fiyero, I –"

"I'm sorry I kissed you," Fiyero blurted out.

Elphaba blinked, and Fiyero could easily see the hurt in her eyes. "I know."

"Wait, Elphaba, I…"

"I get it," Elphaba said, holding up her hand to stop him. "I understand that kissing the green girl was probably the most disgusting thing you've ever done in your entire life and you regret it and I understand if you want to pretend that it didn't happen and –"

She was cut off by Fiyero kissing her again. It was gentle, but forceful enough that Elphaba got the message that Fiyero _wanted_ to cut her off.

"That's not what I meant," Fiyero whispered when they pulled away, not as breathless as last time. "I only meant it if you weren't okay with it."

"… No one's ever kissed me like that before," Elphaba said, sounding as if she was wondering if she should have told the prince that.

Fiyero smiled slightly. "So… were you… okay with it?"

Elphaba was sure she looked like a blubbering, blushing schoolgirl. Honestly, she didn't know how she felt about the prince, much less how she felt about him kissing her. She wasn't going to lie to herself; the kiss was nice. She had never dreamt about being kissed, but if she had, she was pretty sure that would have been an ideal first kiss. "I… don't know."

"You don't know?"

"I mean… it wasn't bad. It was good, but… I… you… we…" She took a deep breath. "Are you… do you… like me?"

The question slipped out before Elphaba's brain could fully process it and all the blood rushed to her face. Fiyero blinked, then smiled.

"I like the way you look when you blush," Fiyero said. "I like the way your hair flows down your back when it's not in a bun or braid. I like the way you smile, especially when you're around your sister. I like the way the moon reflects off your skin at night. So, yes… I believe I like you," Fiyero said with a soft chuckle. "Plus, I wouldn't have kissed you if I didn't like you."

"I… suppose I like you, too," Elphaba said shyly. "You're… agreeable… most of the time."

"I'll take it!" Fiyero chirped, and it was Elphaba's turn to chuckle. "And?"

"And?"

"I gave you four things, and all you say is that I'm agreeable?" Fiyero pouted.

Elphaba rolled her eyes, but was smiling. "I like… I like your sense of childhood optimism, even though it can get in the way, sometimes. I like your outlook on the world and how positive you are. And, I like… your eyes," she smiled as she looked into the prince's hazel eyes. "I could get lost in them, and even though I want to, I can't stop myself or look away."

The prince gave her a boyish grin. "Then I guess I like your eyes, too. Now you have to give me another one so we can be even."

"I don't think it works that way."

"How would you know? And if that's not how it works, then how does it work?"

Elphaba was about to respond, but then heard her sister's wheelchair approaching. The brunette came into sight with two books in her lap, and was being pushed by Mr. Furton.

"I hope you enjoyed your stay, Prince Fiyero," Elphaba said, smiling politely as she quickly switched into her 'governor' mode.

"Oh… yes, I did, Governor Thropp," Fiyero said with a slight bow. "Thank you for hosting me."

"The pleasure was all mine," Elphaba said with a slight curtsy. Fiyero watched as the maids brought his belongings into the carriage. In all honesty, he kind of didn't want to leave. He wanted to stay with Elphaba and get to know her more. And for some reason, he really, really wanted to kiss her again.

"Goodbye, Prince Fiyero," Nessa said with a slight nod and smile.

"Goodbye, Miss Nessarose," Fiyero said as he took the brunette's hand and gently kiss her knuckles, causing Nessa to blush and giggle.

The prince turned back to the green girl and smiled. "Goodbye, Elphaba."

"Goodbye, Fiyero," Elphaba smiled as she walked the prince to the door and watched as he left. Her eyes followed him as he walked down the stairs and to his waiting carriage. She leaned against the doorframe as he climbed in and the carriage pulled off. She waited until the carriage was out of sight before she went back into the mansion with a soft sigh, closing the door behind her.

* * *

 **Now, I know what you're all thinking and this is NOT the end! PLUH-EESE! We didn't even get to Fae/Yero part yet! Of course this isn't the ending! It's the ending of a beginning!**


	12. World's Apart

**I'm sorry this chapter is late! I had orientation for my new summer job!**

 **Guest: Thank you so much! I'm so glad you're enjoying my stories! I really appreciate it!**

 **ElphieNeedsAHug: Of course they'll see each other again. And a lot of important stuff is going to happen, especially to Fiyeraba!**

 **KatriaFaeyero: I'm glad your exams are over! And yes, the Fiyeraba will be back together soon!**

 **Ultimate Queen of Cliffies: Yes, FF did censor that! LOL!**

* * *

"Wait… so you were _actually_ able to come to an agreement?" Lyanna asked, clearly surprised, when Fiyero returned.

"Yes, I was," Fiyero said proudly. "And to think you said I couldn't do it."

"You probably made it so we lose money from our exports and have a high tax for Munchkin goods."

"No, I didn't," Fiyero said as he showed his parents a copy of the document.

Amalie and Raal's eyes scanned the document. Amalie's eyes widened in surprise and Raal's jaw actually dropped.

"Yero, this is… impressive," Amalie blinked. "And you and Governor Thropp came to this agreement?"

"We did," Fiyero grinned. "But what did you tell me?"

"Tell you about what?" Raal asked, regaining his voice.

"About Governor Thropp."

"What about her?"

"That's exactly it! You didn't tell me the governor is a girl my age!"

"The Munchkins mature faster than Fiyeros do," Lyanna quipped.

"I thought you knew," Raal said innocently.

Lyanna and Amalie giggled and Fiyero pouted. "No, I didn't."

"Well, I'm glad you were able to come to an agreement," Amalie said. "I'm proud of you, Fiyero."

"So am I," Raal nodded.

"I suppose I am, too," Lyanna said, ruffling her little's brother's hair. "I'm also glad we didn't lose half of the country in the process."

Fiyero swatted at his sister's hands. "I think I'll go take a nap now."

"Yes, you must be so tired from napping on the way back that you have to take another nap to recover from the nap," Lyanna smirked. "I swear, Yero, you take more naps than me."

Fiyero didn't even bother to give his sister the look she deserved as he walked out of the room and up the stairs. He went into his room and immediately collapsed onto his bed, rubbing his face against his covers. It felt so good to be home.

The prince hadn't been home for more than an hour before his thoughts drifted back to Elphaba. How was she? Did she miss him? Was she still mad about him for the incident? How was Nessa? Did _she_ miss him? His thoughts were able to put him to sleep, but visions of the green girl danced in his head.

* * *

In Munchkinland, life for Elphaba returned to normal. She continued to oversee Nessa's tutoring while trying to manage the state.

"Madame Governor," Mr. Furton said as he briskly walked to keep up with the governor's strides. "We must discuss your schedule for next week."

Elphaba groaned inwardly. "Very well."

"On Monday, you have the new hospital opening. On Tuesday, you have your speech at the Grand Munchkin Counsel. On Wednesday, you have a meeting with a diplomat from the Quadling Country. On Thursday, you have the dinner party with the Munchkin elite. On Friday you have your monthly meeting with the may-"

This time, Elphaba groaned out loud. Every month, the mayors of the individual cities in Munchkinland gathered at the Governor's Mansion for a meeting. She had seen (from a distance, of course) her father host these meeting and she could tell that they were not the highlight of his job. They weren't exactly a picnic for her, either, since the mayors constantly tried to talk down to her. She constantly had to constantly remind them that despite her limited college education, she was very smart and was quick to put the mayors in their places. Not to mention, the meeting hall was her least favorite room in the mansion. It smelt of mothballs and old-fashioned men with even older fashioned ideas and she couldn't stand it.

"Is that all?"

"There are also many other little things in between events, but we can discuss all that later," Mr. Furton said.

Elphaba rubbed her forehead. "Alright. Thank you, Mr. Furton."

"Of course, Your Governorship," Mr. Furton said with a bow before leaving.

Elphaba sighed as she slowly walked down the halls, aimlessly trailing her fingertips against the wall. She rarely got a moment of silence for herself. Between Nessa and her duties, her schedule was almost always full. She couldn't remember the last time she had read a book for her pure enjoyment. Smiling to herself, she hurried to the library and slipped inside, closing the door behind her. She settled in her favorite chair in the corner and pulled a book at random from the shelf. She hadn't been alone for fifteen minutes before Mr. Furton came in, exclaiming "Your Governorship!" much louder than what was appropriate in a library. Sighing, Elphaba got up and followed him, not even paying attention to what he was saying.

"Your Governorship, are you alright?"

"Hmm- what? I'm sorry, Mr. Furton. I was distracted. What did you say?" Elphaba said, feigning an apology.

The assistant regarded his boss and sighed softly. "You look like you could use a bit of a break."

 _Like I wasn't taking one before_ , Elphaba thought.

"Your sister is having tea out on the terrace. Go join her. All of this business stuff can wait until later."

Elphaba smiled gratefully. She knew her assistant would have to move a lot of other responsibilities in order to allow her this little respite, and she appreciated it. "Thank you, Mr. Furton."

"Of course, Your Governorship," Mr. Furton smiled, bowing and watching with a smile as Elphaba hurried away.

Nessa was, of course, very happy that her sister could join her for tea. Nessa didn't like being left to her own devices a lot, and she relished every moment she got to spend with her sister. Elphaba also relished every moment she got to spend with Nessa. The two sisters were completely devoted to each other.

"Have you chosen a dress for the dance with Boq?" Elphaba asked as she added more sugar to her tea.

"Not yet," Nessa said softly. "I was thinking about wearing my birthday dress again."

Elphaba smirked. "I thought you hated rewearing dresses."

"I really like my birthday dress."

"I'm glad, Nessie."

"How are your meetings going?"

"They're fine."

Nessa sensed that her sister really didn't want to talk about her work, so she searched for a way to change the subject. "The lavender plants are blooming."

Elphaba looked up and smiled. "Yes, they are."

"I remember how much Father hated them. He said the smell was too potent and it would distract him while he was working."

Elphaba chuckled softly. "Mama loved the smell of lavender. That's the only reason why Father kept the plants."

"Fabala?"

"Yes?"

"Do you miss Father?"

Elphaba looked up. "Of course I missed Father," she said, though that response sounded rehearsed.

Nessa didn't look convinced. "It's just that… you never talk about him and… you act like he didn't love you."

 _Because he didn't._ "I'm sorry, Nessa. It's just… you and Father had a closer relationship. Of course I miss him. I was just thrown into this so quickly that I didn't have time to –" The green girl stopped short and looked down, developing an interest in her empty tea cup. "I miss Mama, too."

"I'm sorry, Fabala," Nessa said. "I know you're trying and –"

"It's okay," the green girl said, putting the empty cup down on the table and looking out over the gardens. "I… I have to get ready for a meeting now."

Nessa nodded and watched as her sister got up and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. The younger Thropp's eyes followed her sister as she hurried back inside the mansion.

Elphaba hurried back to her room, ignoring everyone she passed. All she wanted to do was sleep. She just wanted to stop. She wanted to stop being the Governor of Munchkinland and return to Shiz. She didn't want everyone bowing to her and calling her "Your Governorship". She didn't want to host any more meetings or parties or banquets or anything else. She wanted to go back to college and finished out her education. There were so many things she could have done in college that she will now never get to experience.

Her thoughts slowed down when she reached her room. She opened her door and slipped inside, not even bothering to close it behind her. She kicked off her shoes and loosened the belt of her dress before collapsing onto her bed. She hugged her pillow to her chest and allowed tears to form in her eyes and slowly slide down her cheek. She soon allowed sleep to pull her under into an uneasy rest.

That was how one of the maids found her when she went to fetch her for dinner. She smiled sadly at the sight of the governor, knowing she had cried herself to sleep. She quietly got an extra blanket from the closet and gently draped it over Elphaba.

"Fresh dreams, Your Governorship," she said with a slight curtsy before tiptoeing out and closing the door behind her.

* * *

The rest of the week was a blur for Elphaba. She opened the new hospital on Monday, gave her speech on Tuesday, met with the diplomat from the Quadling Country on Wednesday, and by Thursday, all she wanted to do was crawl into a hole and sleep for the rest of the month.

Currently, the green governor was sitting at her vanity, scowling at her reflection as one of the maids brushed her hair. She _really_ didn't want to host this banquet.

"How would you like your hair, Your Governorship?"

"You can…" Elphaba paused, her mouth suddenly dry. She looked down at her lap, refusing to finish.

The maid looked at the vanity and her eyes rested on a sparkly, silver clip with a large light purple gem in the middle. "Shall I use this clip?"

Elphaba looked up at the accessory in question. It was her mother's favorite clip. It was one of the very few mementos she had of her. Swallowing, she nodded and the maid pulled the front sections of her hair back and fixed the clip into her hair.

"Are you satisfied with this, Your Governorship?"

"Yes, thank you," Elphaba said in a monotone and dismissed the maid. The green girl looked at her reflection and sighed. Knowing how much she hated makeup, the maid had only put on a bit of blush and lip-gloss, and since she wasn't wearing her glasses, she also had a bit of eye shadow.

"Well, Governor Thropp," she said mockingly to herself, playing with the hem of her dark blue dress. "This is it."

"Your Governorship?" Mr. Furton said as he knocked on the door.

"Enter," Elphaba called.

The assistant opened the door and smiled slightly. "You look very nice, Your Governorship," he said with a slight bow.

The green girl rose to her full height. "Thank you."

"Are you ready?"

"I suppose so," Elphaba said as she followed her assistant out and into the dining room. She waited to be announced and then the doors opened. Everyone stood and applauded politely as she walked to her seat at the head of the table. She smiled and nodded politely to the elite guests, secretly dreading everything. Once she reached her seat, she said a quick greeting and signaled for the servants to start serving the door.

She made small talk to the people sitting close to her. She had no idea who they were, but judging by their clothes, had no doubt bought their way in. She tried to not look like she didn't care, but after a while, she had no other desire than to choke on her stake.

"Your Governorship, have you ever considered the possibility of a conjugal," one of the wives of a diplomat said after dessert was served and everyone was mingling in the parlor.

"I'm sorry?" Elphaba blinked.

"A conjugal. Marriage."

"Oh… I… not as of yet, no."

The woman giggled and took another sip of her wine. "You should. It's no good for a woman like you to be alone. You know… I have a third-cousin twice removed who might do just wonderfully. I shall have to introduce you."

Elphaba simply nodded, not even wanting to think about how drunk that woman was. No one asked her to play matchmaker. All Elphaba wanted to do was get this over with. A bunch of the other guests also felt the need to compare her to her father or talk about her mother and how great Munchkinland "used to be". She played her part very well, secretly wishing she could turn most of them into cockroaches. She secretly wondered how her parents got through these things.

Finally, the guests began to disperse, much to Elphaba's relief. After bidding them all farewell and safe travels, Elphaba made a beeline to her room, requesting that no one, under any circumstances, bother her. She just wanted to relax and try to wind down.

* * *

"Mother?" Lyanna breathed as she slowly waddled into the parlor.

"Yes, dear?" Amalie questioned, looking up from her book and frowning slightly. "Is something wrong?"

"Well… I don't know about 'wrong', but my water just broke."

Amalie inhaled sharply and Fiyero looked up. "You're in labor?"

Lyanna nodded and Amalie jumped up and helped her sit down on the armchair. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay," Lyanna said, taking a deep breath. "It's a bit early, though, isn't it?"

"You'll be fine. The baby is developed enough to survive outside the womb."

Lyanna nodded. "Okay."

"Are you scared?"

The princess looked up at her mother. "A little bit."

"Don't worry. You'll be fine. I'll be right by your side the entire time." The queen brushed her daughter's hair away from her face and kissed her forehead. "You're going to be a mother soon."

"I'm going to be a mother," Lyanna repeated, then realized what she had just said. "Oh dear sweet Oz, I'm going to be a _mother_."

"I'm going to be a grandmother," Amalie said in awe with a slight laugh, then frowned slightly. "Even though I look _nothing_ like a grandmother."

"I'm going to be an uncle," Fiyero smiled, then smirked. "Uncle Fiyero!"

"Oz help us," Lyanna groaned with a dramatic eye roll.

"Where's Luceen?" Amalie asked, taking her daughter's hand.

"I don't know," Lyanna said, trying to focus on her breathing. "I think he's with Father somewhere."

"Fiyero, go find him and tell him what's going on."

Fiyero saluted and went to go find the two other men. Amalie looked down at her firstborn child, a sudden flashback of her holding her for the very first time flashing before her eyes. Smiling, she knelt down in front of her and, smiling, kissed her forehead and wrapped her in a hug. Lyanna melted into her mother's embrace and sighed, rubbing her belly.


	13. To Be Reunited

**Well… um… it's been a minute, hasn't it? I'm so sorry for the delay. My new summer job as a camp counselor has me feeling extra tired and as soon as I get home, I crash. But better late than never, right? *Hopeful smile***

 **ElphieNeedsAHug: I don't think we'll get to see Galinda again, but we can always hope!**

 **Moreanswers24: LOL! Thank you for catching up with the reviews! :-D**

 **KatriaFaeyero: Well… Nessa would miss her father… mostly because she doesn't know the truth. And that weekend might be closer than we think.**

 **Satilliteheart: We don't have official Fiyeraba, but the Fiyeraba definitely wants the Fiyeraba.**

 **Ultimate Queen of Cliffies: Elphaba and Lyanna would be great friends! When is Elphaba not friends with Fiyero's siblings as they make brainless jokes together? LOL!**

* * *

"Madame Governor, have you considered our suggestion of enacting a counsel?"

"I have considered it," Elphaba said, trying not to sound as tight as she felt. "And I have chosen not to enact it." The room was hot, and she was sure her anger was doing nothing to help regulate her body temperature.

"But surely Your Governorship thinks that it would be a good idea to have a counsel help her rule the country."

"My father did not have a grand counsel and ruled Munchkinland very well."

"Yes, but Governor Frexspar – may he rest in peace – was a full grown adult with a full college education and years of experience behind him."

Elphaba frowned. In all honesty, she had no idea why she was even entertaining this conversation. She was an unelected official. She didn't have to listen to these goons.

"Will all respect, Your Governorship," one of the said-goons said. "I believe a counsel would help you to make decisions for the good of all Munchkinland. We need sound and reasonable decisions made by a sound and responsible leader, or at least a leader who is assisted by a counsel of older, more experienced politicians."

Elphaba knew exactly what they were implying. "Well, gentlemen, I thank you for your input and I will consider everything we have discussed." She stood and the men stood with her. "Thank you for coming. This meeting is now adjourned."

The green girl got out of the room as fast as possible, wanting to avoid talking to them anymore. She exhaled, brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face. She needed air. She needed a break. Thankfully, she had the weekend.

"Fabala!"

The green girl turned and forced a smile when she saw her sister. "Hi, Nessie."

The brunette smiled up at her sister. "Kika invited me to her slumber birthday party next weekend. Can I go? Please, can I go?"

"Is it at her house?"

Nessa nodded.

"I suppose so," Elphaba said, biting back a sigh.

The younger Thropp beamed. "Thank you, Fabala! Oh, and the fair is coming to the park tomorrow! Can we go?"

Elphaba's lips twitched. Nessa had always gone to the annual fair with their father. It had been a special thing they always did together. No matter how busy his schedule was, Frex had always made sure Nessa got to go to the fair. Elphaba, however, was always left at home. "If the weather is nice, we can go to the fair."

Nessa smiled and wheeled closer to give her sister a hug. Elphaba knelt down and the two sisters shared a warm hug.

"Thank you, Fabala," Nessa smiled as she pulled away.

Elphaba nodded as she watched her sister wheel away. Even though she was upset to see her weekend of relaxation fly out the window, she knew going to the fair would make her sister happy. And she would do anything to make her sister happy.

* * *

Elphaba could only listen to her sister's excited chatter as they rode to the fair. She had never been to the fair before and honestly had no idea what to expect. She had heard stories about it, but knew it was nothing compared to actually experiencing it herself. In all honesty, she really didn't want to go. She had a ton of work to finish up, and she knew if she didn't finish it, it would only add to the work she had to complete later on. She would have done it on Sunday, but Nessa had this big thing on not doing any work on the Unnamed God's holy day. The green girl herself was never big on religion, but simply followed it –or pretended to, anyway– just to please her sister.

"We're here!" Nessa smiled as the carnival music reached her ears.

Elphaba looked out the window and smiled slightly. The fair did look like fun. She looked at her sister and tried to reciprocate her happiness for her sake.

The whole night was a complete blur for the green governor. All she remembered was pushing her sister's chair around the entire park, letting her play the fun carnival games and carrying most of her prizes, and letting her eat more cotton candy and candy apples than she probably should have.

Deep down, Elphaba figured that she could have had a somewhat-not-horrible time if she wasn't with her sister and forced to play assistant all night. If Fiyero had stayed a bit longer, she might have been able to go with him and could have had a good time.

Her thoughts quickly drifted to the prince. What was going on in the Vinkus? Had he resorted back to his 'dancing through life' ways? No, he couldn't have. He had learned too much from her and she had learned so much fro-

"Fabala!"

"Hmm? Sorry, Nessa, what?" Elphaba asked, blinking as she looked down at her sister.

"I'm ready to leave now."

Elphaba nodded and dutifully pushed her sister back to their waiting carriage and helped her inside. Their ride back was mostly silent, since Nessa was beginning to doze off. The green girl absent-mindedly looked out the window at her country. Before she knew it, the carriage stopped in front of the mansion and the driver helped Elphaba get a sleepy Nessa into her chair and back inside.

* * *

"Madame Governor, this has just arrived for you from the Vinkus," Mr. Furton said as he handed Elphaba an envelope.

Elphaba looked up from the bill she was reviewing and nodded. "Thank you," she said as she took it and tore it open.

Mr. Furton nodded and left the office as Elphaba's eyes scanned the cursive writing.

 _Governor Elphaba Thropp,_

 _Their Royal Majesties, King Raal Tigulaar and Queen Amalie Tigulaar, along with Princess Lyanna and Prince Luceen, would like to request your presence at the royal ball the Saturday from next to celebrate the newest heir to the Vinkun throne, His Royal Highness Prince Adakis Jyliys Tigulaar. Please send your attendance response as soon as possible and we hope that you'll be in attendance._

Elphaba quickly replied saying that she would be honored to attend the ball and put it aside to mail later. She really had no actual desire to go, but she knew it would be extremely rude to refuse the invitation, especially since the two countries were such good trading partners.

Sighing, she took off her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose. She was so exhausted that all she wanted to do was crawl into bed and not come out for the rest of the year. As she continued to think about the ball, her thoughts automatically drifted back to Fiyero. She knew she would see him again, and that thought made her heart flutter a bit. With a soft grunt, she pushed that thought away. Goodness Oz, was Fiyero obsessing that much over _her_?

"Your Governorship?" Mr. Furton asked as he knocked on the door.

"Yes?" Elphaba called back.

"Are you alright?"

Figuring that her assistant had heard her, Elphaba said that she was fine and heard Mr. Furton walk away. Pushing away thoughts of the prince would prove to be harder than expected. And knowing that she would see him soon didn't help her.

* * *

Elphaba walked down the stairs with her suitcase in hand. She was dressed for the ball that would take place that night. Her silk gown was a shimmering royal blue color with her official governor sash over her shoulder. She smiled softly when she saw her sister and Mr. Furton waiting for her at the foot of the steps.

"Do you have everything you need, Your Governorship?" Mr. Furton asked.

Elphaba nodded and gave her suitcase to her assistant. He took it and went to bring it to the carriage while Elphaba said goodbye to her sister.

"You'll be alright, won't you?" Elphaba asked for not the first time.

Nessa nodded. "I'll be fine, Fabala. I won't be alone in the mansion. Plus, you'll only be gone one night. You'll return tomorrow."

"Alright," Elphaba agreed after a while and placed a gentle kiss in Nessa's hair and gave her a hug.

"Have fun," the brunette whispered as her sister pulled away. "You'll tell me everything about it when you return, right?"

The green governor chuckled. "Of course I will. Bye, Nessie."

"Bye, Fabala!" Nessa smiled, waving to her sister as she watched her walk out the door and close it behind her.

Once Elphaba was settled into the carriage, the driver pulled off for the long ride to the Vinkus. Traveling down the Yellow Brick Road was the quickest route, but it wasn't quick enough for Elphaba, who was beginning to feel sick. She didn't usually get motion sickness, but for some reason, this time she did. She didn't want to ask to pull over because she wanted to get to the Vinkus as soon as possible, so she opened her jug and took a sip of water. She removed her glasses and closed her eyes, thinking that trying to sleep would make the trip more bearable.

Hours later, the green girl woke to the carriage slowing down. Yawning, she blinked her eyes and glanced up at the royal Vinkun family residence. It was bigger than the mansion, Elphaba quickly realized, and also seemed a bit more intimidating. She figured that it was probably because it was older than her home in Munchkinland and quickly prepared her "Governor of Munchkinland" persona. She made sure her dress was as de-wrinkled as possible and pinned a stray hair back into place. The carriage stopped and a Vinkun footman swiftly opened the door.

"Governor Thropp, welcome to the Vinkus," he said as he bowed and offered her his hand to help her down.

"Thank you," Elphaba said, plastering on a smile as she accepted the hand offered to her and stepped out of her carriage.

The footman offered her his arm and led her up the stairs where the other guests were arriving and greeting the king and queen. A few people gave her looks, but once they saw her governor sash, they went on their own way, and a few of them gave her pity looks.

"Now announcing Her Governorship, Governor Elphaba Thropp of Munchkinland," the herald said as Elphaba walked into the ballroom.

Everyone applauded politely as Elphaba went up to the monarchs and curtsied. "Thank you for inviting me, Your Majesties," the green girl said, smiling politely.

"It is an honor, Governor Thropp," the king said, smiling softly.

"It truly is," the queen said. "I hope you enjoy yourself, Governor."

Elphaba realized that she hadn't seen the Vinkun monarchs since her father's funeral and her subsequent swearing in as governor. Trying to push the awkwardness away, she forced a smile. "Thank you," she said as she curtsied again and immediately grabbed a glass of wine from a passing servant. She really had no motive to socialize, but didn't want to seem impolite.

She had just finished her glass and was about to get started on her second when she heard a voice behind her.

"Getting the party started early, I see."

Surprised, she turned around, but immediately softened. "Prince Fiyero," she said formally with a curtsy, but also a friendly smile.

Fiyero smiled as he bowed. "Governor Thropp, how was your journey?"

"It was fine. It's… it's good to see you again."

The prince gave her a smile that made her stomach do a complete flip. "You too," he said, causing her to smile back.

"Where is your sister? I suppose I should offer my congratulations."

Fiyero offered her his arm, which Elphaba responded to with a look that clearly said _'Simple directions would have been satisfactory'_ , but took the prince's arm as he led her away.

"Lyanna," Fiyero called and the princess of the Vinkus looked up and smiled.

"Yes, Yero?"

"May I present Governor Elphaba Thropp of Munchkinland," Fiyero said, smiling at Elphaba, who curtsied.

"Congratulations, Your Highness," the green girl smiled, looking at the swaddled, sleeping newborn boy in the princess' arms.

"Thank you, Governor Thropp. And I also must thank you."

Elphaba, knowing what the princess was talking about, but also not wanting to talk about it, simply nodded. "Of course."

Lyanna gave the younger woman a knowing look. "I'm not talking about the trade agreement. I'm talking about getting Fiyero to think more." She smirked slightly at her younger brother, then softened as she turned back to the governor. "He's been acting different ever since he returned from Munchkinland, and it's been a change for the better, so thank you."

This time, Elphaba smiled a real smile, and even though Fiyero sensed that his sister was trying to make fun of him while still being formal, he smiled, too. "I'm glad to have helped, Your Highness."

The princess nodded and turned back to her brother. "Yero, I have to use the restroom, and Luceen is talking to some dignitaries from Quox. Could you watch Adakis for me?"

"Of course, Ana," Fiyero said, taking the baby and watching as his sister walked away.

"Ana?" Elphaba asked.

Fiyero shrugged. "It's just a little nickname." He paused briefly before adding, "Your sister calls you 'Fabala', doesn't she?"

Elphaba nodded. When Fiyero didn't say anything for a while, she looked over and saw an expression she assumed was his 'thinking face'. "What are you thinking about?"

"I just want to think of a clever nickname for you," Fiyero said, scrunching his name as he thought. "Fae!" he said brightly. "I'll call you Fae!"

"Fae?" Elphaba blinked, raising her eyebrow. "Do I _want_ to know how you came up with that?"

"Fiyero and Elphaba is F. A. E. Fae."

Elphaba's hand slowly rose and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Come on! You have to admit, it's very clever! And it's much better than Eaf!"

Elphaba glanced over at the prince, who was chucking as he gently rocked the baby back and forth. Lyanna soon returned and reclaimed her son just as a slow dance began to play.

"May I have this dance, Governor?" the prince asked with a bow.

Elphaba bit her tongue to avoid blushing as she nodded and went with Fiyero to the dancing floor. As they dance, Elphaba could feel her face getting hot and looked down to try and hide her blush.

"You're blushing," Fiyero pointed out.

Elphaba's lips twitched, but she didn't look up at him.

"Hey," Fiyero said as he gently lifted her chin. He stared into the governor's chocolate eyes and could have sworn he felt a spark shoot up his spine. For a moment, the two of them were in their own world, a special place only for them. They continued to dance, holding each other close as they waltzed. Soon, the song ended and they had to leave their special place.

"Thank you for the dance, Your Highness," Elphaba said formally with a curtsy, briefly catching the prince off-guard.

"Oh… um… of course, Governor Thropp," Fiyero said, bowing.

Elphaba smiled as she excused herself and quickly walked away, wringing her hands together. Fiyero watched in silence as the governor walked away into the sea of dignitaries, wishing that the dance had never ended.

* * *

 **I know it's sort of last minute, but this story is winding down. Only around 4 more chapters left. But I have a new story in the works, and I'm very excited to share it with you all.**


	14. The Thousand Year Grasslands

**I must admit, the 'Fae' and 'Eaf' made me laugh way harder than what is considered normally acceptable.**

 **AvaRosen: Thank you! I'm so glad you're enjoying my stories!**

 **Ultimate Queen of Cliffies: I'll give hints to my next story in the final chapter. *Side eye and cackle***

* * *

The ball lasted well into the night. The new parents had retired early, since their little one was beginning to get fussy and they were getting exhausted. The king and queen kept the party going until most of the guests had left. The only guests remaining, who were staying over in the guest wing, were a rich couple from the Gillikin, an ambassador from Ev, a representative from the Emerald City, and Elphaba.

"May I escort you to your room, Governor Thropp?" Fiyero asked, approaching a very tired looking green girl.

Elphaba looked up at him and smiled softly. "Thank you, Prince Fiyero."

The Vinkun prince smiled as he offered her his arm and escorted her to his parents to say goodnight.

"I hope you had an enjoyable time, Governor Thropp," the queen smiled as Elphaba curtsied.

"I did have an enjoyable time. Thank you for inviting me, Your Majesties," Elphaba said formally.

The king nodded and Fiyero led the governor out of the ballroom and to the guest wing. He stopped with her in front of the closed door of her second-floor room and smiled softly at her.

"Goodnight, Fae," he whispered softly.

"Goodnight, Yero," Elphaba whispered back, smiling back at the prince.

For a moment, they simply looked at each other, seemingly having a mental conversation. The slowly drew closer to each other until their breath was mixing together in the small space in between them. That small space was soon closed and they two shared a kiss. It was longer than a 'good night kiss' was normally supposed to last, but not long enough to leave them both breathless. They pulled away shortly after, both of them smiling, and Elphaba slipped into her room and closed the door behind her.

As brushed out her long locks, she was startled by something being thrown against her window. She heard it a few more times before she decided to go investigate.

"Yero?" she whisper-shouted when she saw the prince standing underneath her window. "It's… why… what are you doing?"

"Are you awake?" Fiyero whisper-called up to her.

Elphaba gave him a look. "No. I'm sleep-talking to you. This is a dream and I'm going to back to bed to wake up now," she deadpanned.

"Oh, good! You're up," the prince said with a cheeky smile and Elphaba sighed. "I want to show you something."

"Something that couldn't have waited until any time after right now?"

"You're leaving tomorrow, and I can't let you leave the Vinkus without showing you this."

"What is it?"

"One clock-tick! Stay right up there and don't go to sleep!"

Elphaba saw the prince run back into the castle and a few moments later, heard a knock at the door. Sighing, she opened it to find the prince dressed in his pajamas and a robe.

"This better be good," Elphaba mumbled as she put on her robe over her nightgown.

"It is," Fiyero said as he took the green girl's hand and led her away.

The two snuck out of the castle and past the extra guards that were posted outside due to the dignitary guests. Elphaba was surprised at how sneaky the prince really was, and this little endeavor led her to believe that this wasn't the first time the prince had snuck out.

"Yero, where are we going?" Elphaba asked with a yawn.

"We just have to go up this hill."

"I'm so tired right now, up is down, down is sideways, and sideways is doing summersaults."

Fiyero chuckled and Elphaba's frown deepened. He turned towards her and softly kissed her cheek, causing her lips to twitch slightly.

"Close your eyes," Fiyero said at the base of the hill.

Elphaba gave him an incredulous look. "Excuse me?"

"Close your eyes."

"Why?"

"Because it's part of the surprise."

"But –"

"No buts. If you don't close your eyes, I'll just be forced to cover them with my hands."

Elphaba rolled her eyes and mumbled something under her breath, but closed her eyes and allowed Fiyero to lead her up the hill. When they reached the top of the hill, Elphaba felt the light breeze whip through her hair and she smiled softly.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now, Fae."

Elphaba opened her eyes and gasped. Before her, lit by the light of the moon, was a large field that seemed to stretch all the way to the horizon. Tall grass with scattered patches of wildflowers surrounded her. The breeze made it seem like the flowers were dancing to some unheard melody of nature.

"It's… beautiful," Elphaba whispered in awe.

"Welcome to the Thousand Year Grasslands," Fiyero said with a grand arm swoop.

Elphaba's smile grew as she looked around. Fiyero gently hooked his arm with hers and led her down the hill. Elphaba's robe and night dress billowed around her, causing the grass to brush against her legs.

"This is my personal favorite part of the Vinkus," Fiyero confessed as they sat down amidst the grass and flowers. "For me, this was my special place where I seemed to be able to escape from my royal duties. It's… quiet here."

"You never struck me as the type of person who enjoys quiet," Elphaba said quietly.

The prince smiled softly. "Sometimes the quiet is good. It's nice to be able to think in peace and quiet without having someone always looking over your shoulder." Fiyero reached over a plucked a small white flower and gave it to the green girl, who accepted it with a smile.

"I know what you mean."

The two sat in silence for a while. Somehow, Elphaba ended up in Fiyero's arms and the two ended up lying down in the grass together. Elphaba's head was on top of the prince's chest, the steady rhythm of his heart filling her ears. Fiyero's arms were wrapped protectively around her waist, holding her close, as he placed a gentle kiss in the green girl's hair. Elphaba smiled and scooted up to give him a proper kiss. This time, the kiss left both of them a bit breathless and they pulled away only to catch their breath.

"Marry me."

That came without preamble or context, so all Elphaba could do was look at the prince, wondering if those words had really left his mouth or if nature was just playing a trick on her. One look into his eyes was all she needed. "Wh-What?"

"Marry me, Fae. Stay here in the Vinkus with me. Be my princess. Marry me."

Elphaba was still trying to catch her breath from the kiss, so her brain was reeling. "Yero… I… I can't."

Fiyero gently pulled her closer, and felt his eyes fill with tears when Elphaba gently pulled away. "Why not?"

"I… I want to, but… I have too many responsibilities in Munchkinland… _to_ Munchkinland. I'm the governor, Fiyero. I can't just leave. Plus, there's Nessa… if I renounced my position as governor, we would be forced to move out. She… we grew up there. That's our home."

"You can make the Vinkus your new home," Fiyero said pleadingly.

"I can't. I'm… I'm comfortable in Munchkinland."

"But you're not _happy_."

Elphaba looked at him.

"Remember that day in the library when you saw right through my 'aren't I happy' act? You could see that I wasn't really happy with my life. And right now, you're doing the exact same thing. You're trying to hide the fact that you're not happy."

"But –"

"I know you're doing this for your sister, Fae, but for once, think about yourself. You've done so much for her already. You've taken care of her; hell and Oz, you practically raised her. Isn't it time you let someone else take care of you?" He gently took her hand again and smiled a small smile when she didn't pull away.

"I may not be happy in Munchkinland," Elphaba finally whispered, "but Nessa's happy. I'm comfortable, and I can live with just being that. Before… before my mother died, I promised her that I would take care of Nessa and make sure she's happy. That was the last thing I promised her, and I have kept that promise thus far."

"It makes you happy to see Nessa happy?" Fiyero asked.

"Yes."

"Then shouldn't it make Nessa happy to see _you_ happy?"

Elphaba didn't speak for a moment. Fiyero waited for an answer, but when it became clear that Elphaba wasn't going to answer, he simply dropped the subject and laid on his back, looking up at the stars. A clock-tick later, Elphaba rejoined him. "Are you cold?" he asked when she felt her shiver.

Elphaba made a noise that sounded like she was saying "no", but Fiyero pulled her close anyway. And honestly, no matter what she had said, he still would have pulled her closer. He wanted to relish every last moment they had together, because only Oz knew when -if- they would see each other again.

"Fae?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" the green girl blinked, clearly confused.

"I'm sorry that you're not happy, and that I can't do anything to make you happy."

Elphaba turned in his arms to look at him. "It's not your fault, Yero."

"I just… you deserve so much more. You've worked so hard, endured so much, and had to sacrifice your dreams and goals just to keep your sister happy. You're only comfortable with everything because you've accepted it as your life and you're afraid of change because –"

"I am not afraid of change," Elphaba interrupted, sounding defensive.

"Because change has affected your life negatively in so many ways."

Elphaba softened slightly, knowing that the prince was right.

"I won't ask you to move here to the Vinkus with me because I don't want that to just be another negative change in your life."

"You sound like you're about to propose an alternative solution."

"I'll move to Munchkinland with you."

A pregnant pause passed between the two of them before Elphaba sat up and burst out laughing. It took her a while to calm down, and when she did, sobered at the look on Fiyero's face. "Oh… you were serious. Yero, you... you can't."

"Why not? I'm not the crown prince. Lyanna's older than me, and since she now has a child, I've just been dethroned a throne," Fiyero said as he also sat up.

"Your family –"

"Will be fine without me."

"I cannot ask you to leave your family like that."

"Um… that's generally what happens with marriages, Fae. Plus, you're not asking me to. I'm volunteering because I _want_ to. I want to go back to Munchkinland with you. I want to be married to you and start a family together. I want to make you happy."

"And you think that will make me happy?"

"Wouldn't it?"

Elphaba ran a hand through her hair. "I… I don't know."

"You don't know what would make you happy?"

"I've never really focused on my own happiness before."

The two fell silent again. Fiyero laid back down, while Elphaba stayed sitting up.

"No one's ever asked me what would make me happy before," Elphaba said after a while. She laid back down, but Fiyero didn't move to pull her into his arms. "Yero?"

"Yes?"

"Could you… hold me again?"

Fiyero looked at her and smiled before gently collecting her into his arms. "Does this make you happy?"

Elphaba's lips twitched and Fiyero felt her faintly nod against his chest. "And could you…"

Before Elphaba could even finish, Fiyero captured her lips in his yet again.

"How did you know what I was going to say?" she asked when they pulled away.

Fiyero simply smiled and kissed her again. The kiss slowly intensified and pretty soon, Elphaba's fingers were playing with the buttons on Fiyero's nightshirt. The green girl never felt this way before. If she had ever been held in someone's arms before, she couldn't remember it. Her mother had probably held her before, but any memories she had of her were so fuzzy and incomplete that Elphaba didn't know if they were memories or fantasies. She couldn't explain why, but being in Fiyero's arms made her feel comfortable. It made her feel safe. It made her feel… happy.

Elphaba was working on the fourth button when Fiyero gently grabbed her hands. "Fae," he whispered, looking her in the eyes. "Wait."

Elphaba immediately stopped and looked at Fiyero pensively.

"You want to… out here… in the Thousand Year Grasslands?"

"Why not? No one else is here."

Fiyero bit his lip, but his body relaxed as Elphaba continued to work on his buttons. The two soon felt the world melt around them. They became lost in a sea of passion and spent the rest of the night in each other's arms.

* * *

Elphaba woke up the next morning in her bed. As she slowly sat up, she wondered if she had dreamt being with Fiyero in the Thousand Year Grasslands. She reached over and felt around her nightstand for her glasses. Slipping them onto her face, she looked over and saw the small white flower Fiyero had given her on the nightstand and knew it wasn't a dream.

So nothing was a dream. It had all actually happened. Everything… including Fiyero asking her to marry him. Elphaba thought about it. Did she really want to marry the Vinkun prince and move to a completely different country all the way across Oz? Did she really want to do that to her sister? Would it really make her happy? Would she even be comfortable with being happy?

She silently pondered these questions and more as she went down to breakfast. She greeted the king and queen and took a seat at the table, conveniently right next to Fiyero. The two shared a small smile as the food was served.

Breakfast was quiet for the most part. Lyanna seemed a bit tired and Luceen looked like he was about to fall asleep at the table. Fiyero avoided Elphaba's gaze, and she avoided his. The monarchs seemed to sense something going on between the two, but knew it wasn't a breakfast topic, especially around other company.

Once breakfast was finished, the guests took their leave. After thanking the king and queen once again for hosting her, Elphaba turned to Fiyero to say goodbye.

"I suppose we'll write," Fiyero said, although it sounded more like a question.

"I suppose we will," Elphaba said with a slight smile and a curtsy.

Fiyero bowed and watched Elphaba go for what felt like the millionth time. Once her carriage was out of sight, the prince turned and saw his parents give him a knowing look. They knew exactly what was going on and how the two were feeling. They didn't say anything, and they didn't have to. Fiyero could clearly tell exactly what they were saying. And he knew exactly what he was going to do.

* * *

 **Will Fiyero go after Elphaba? Will we get our Fiyeraba? Will Nessa let her sister be happy?**


	15. Victim

**Sorry this chapter is late, everyone! My counselor job leaves me very tired and not able to finish updates and post them! But I finally mustered enough energy to get this chapter completed and up! Yay me! Enjoy!**

 **KatriaFaeyero: LOL! Yes, we all love our "perfect" little Vinkun prince! :-D**

 **anonymous (Guest): I must admit, that is my favorite Fiyeraba cliché, too, but it won't make it into this story.**

 **Ultimate Queen of Cliffies: Of course Fiyero is a sap! We wouldn't have him be any other way!**

* * *

The following week, life had returned to normal for Elphaba. Nessa had requested all of the ball details, and Elphaba indulged her, except for the part about Fiyero. She was still conflicted as to what she was going to do about him.

Ever since Elphaba got back, Nessa had noticed something different about her sister. She seemed to be stuck in her silent musings a lot more, and she seemed to be trying to distract herself from something. Whenever she wasn't working, she locked herself up in her room, seemingly distancing herself from her sister. Finally, one evening after dinner, Nessa got up the courage to talk to her sister.

"How come you're distancing yourself from me?" Nessa blurted out.

Elphaba choked on her piece of chocolate cake and looked up at her sister. "What?"

"How come you've been distancing yourself from me?"

"What are you talking about, Nessa?"

"Ever since you came back from the Vinkus, you've been acting weird. You've been spending more time working, and when you're not working, you lock yourself up in your room."

"I'm fine, Nessie. Don't worry about me."

Nessa frowned. "Every time you say that, it just makes me worry about you even more. What's going on, Elphaba?"

Elphaba redirected her attention back to her dessert.

"What did Fiyero say to you?"

"Nothing."

"What did he do?"

"Nothing, Nessa."

"Then why –"

"I'm finished," Elphaba said as she stood up, leaving half of her cake uneaten. "If you need me, I'll be in my office."

"I need you _now_!" the brunette insisted stubbornly.

"I already told you about what happened in the Vinkus."

"You're hiding something from me. Why do you never tell me the whole truth?"

 _To protect you._ "I'm done talking about this, Nessa," the green girl said as she turned to leave the room.

"No, you're not!" Nessa yelled as she wheeled over to her exiting sister and grabbed her wrist. "You're not telling me something."

"I told you everything you need to know."

"Something else is bothering you and I'm not letting you go until you tell me."

"Right now, Nessa, _you're_ bothering me!"

"That's not it! Tell me right now or I'll –"

"Fiyero asked me to marry him!"

Nessa froze and her grip around her sister's wrist loosened enough for Elphaba to pull her hand free. "He… Fiyero did what?"

"He asked me to marry him," Elphaba repeated slowly, glaring briefly at her sister before turning away.

"And… and what did you say?"

"What do you think I said?" Elphaba hissed, and Nessa noticed tears starting to form in her sister's eyes. "I said no. I had to say no."

"But… you wanted to say yes?"

Elphaba looked down at her sister before hurrying to her office and slamming the door behind her. Nessa sat in silence for a few clock-ticks. She didn't even know the prince and her sister even liked each other like that. When had that happened? She usually could read her sister like a book… or so she thought? What had changed? She wheeled to her sister's office and knocked on the door. "Fabala?"

"Go away."

"I… I just want to talk to you."

"I said go away!"

Nessa reached for the doorknob and pushed the door open. She found her sister looking out the window over the gardens, her hands locked behind her back.

"Did I say go away?" Elphaba asked without turning around.

"If you really didn't want me to come in, you would have locked the door."

Elphaba's frown deepened, but she didn't turn around.

"Elphaba, when Fiyero proposed, why didn't you say yes if you really wanted to?"

"Why?" Elphaba asked with a humorless laugh as she slowly turned around to face her sister. "Why, you ask? Let me tell you why. All my life, I've had to put on a brave face. When all the kids would bully me and throw rocks and sticks at me, I had to go home and pretend like everything was fine. When Father would beat me, I had to hide the bruises and scars from you so you would still have this wonderful image of the monster of a man our father was. He spoiled you and loved you with all his heart, while I was just the hideous monster of a burden!"

Nessa could only stare at her sister in shock. She opened her mouth to interject, but Elphaba wasn't finished.

"I've had to make numerous sacrifices, especially for you. Do you want to know why I went to Shiz? It was because you told Father that you wanted to go to Shiz, so he made me apply so you could get in easier as part of the siblings program. I never even wanted to go to Shiz! That was for you!"

"Elpha-"

"Everyone knew that Father was going to do whatever he could to make sure you are the governor instead of me, but when he died, you weren't old enough to take control… but I was. And I did. Without hesitation, I was sworn in as Governor of Munchkinland, something I will have to live with for the rest of my life. I've had to run an entire country, have foreign leaders try to undermine me, and try to prove myself to everyone I meet. I've had to pretend that I'm always happy, and I'm not! I'm far from happy! Everything I've ever done was to try and keep _you_ happy! Fiyero asked me to marry him because he could see that I wasn't happy and he wanted me to be happy. He's the only person that's ever cared for me like that and as much as I wanted to marry him, I knew that I had too many responsibilities that I couldn't just abandon. I knew that you wouldn't want to leave everything you've ever known, so I told him no. I said no for _you_! I've tried to keep everything the way it was for you from before Father died and make everything as normal as possible, but it hasn't been enough… and nothing ever will be."

By the time Elphaba was finished with her rant, she was full-out sobbing. Nessa could only watch as her sister collapsed onto her couch in exhaustion. She had never heard her sister speak or act like that before.

"Is that how you really feel?" Nessa asked once she got over the shock.

Elphaba looked up at her sister and saw confusion and sadness on her face… but in her eyes, she saw anger.

"Are… are you blaming me for your lack of happiness?" the younger Thropp asked, sounding defensive.

"Nessa…"

"I'm not the one at fault here! No one told you to do any of this. Becoming governor was your choice and your choice alone. Don't blame me because you're not happy."

Elphaba, not believing that her sweet little sister couldn't see how ungrateful she was being, pushed herself to her feet. "You don't think that I took over to keep you happy?"

"Don't try to victimize yourself. _I'm_ the victim here!"

"We're both victims, Nessa! We're both orphans and I –"

"We wouldn't be orphans if Mama was still alive!"

Elphaba had a retort all ready, but she bit it back when she heard what her sister had said. "What?"

"You heard what I just said, Elphaba. We wouldn't be orphans if Mama was still alive!"

"How can you –"

"It's your fault Mama died, and you know it!" Nessa sneered, slowly wheeling closer to her sister. "It's your fault she's dead and I never got to meet her. If you hadn't been born, she wouldn't have chewed those horrid milk flowers and she would still be alive, and I wouldn't be stuck in this stupid, hideous chair with wheels! You took away my chance to have a happy, normal life. So don't try to play the victim when we both know you're the cause of all of this!"

Elphaba could feel her magic coursing through her veins, so she knew she had to try and calm down, lest she unleash her magic on her sister… which she knew would only make everything worse. "If that's the case, who took away _my_ chance at a happy, normal life? Why was I born green? Since you have an answer as to why you're the way you are, what about me?"

"Don't be selfish, Elphaba! This isn't about you! Stop trying to make everything about you!"

"Not everything is about you, Nessarose!"

"Well, this is! You're just trying to pin the blame of your actions on me!"

"You need to learn that Oz doesn't revolve around you! You can't always get what you want, Nessa!"

"And you need to take responsibility for your actions, Elphaba!"

"I am, Nessa. I take responsibility for my actions every day. Every time I need to read a fifty-page bill, or go to some event, or host a dinner party, or host a foreign leader, or take care of my sister, I am taking responsibility for my actions. And this discussion is over."

Nessa's face was red. "This is NOT over!"

"Yes, it is!" Swooping her wrist and closing her fingers into a fist, she watched as Nessa's hands clasped around her throat. When she tried to speak, no sound came out.

Realizing what her sister had done, Nessa's glare softened and her eyes filled with tears.

"Tears will get you nowhere now, Nessa," Elphaba said, though she felt bad. "You are seventeen years old. And until you learn how to act your age and be grateful for everything you have and everything I've done, I'm done speaking with you." And with that, Elphaba left her sister alone in the office, slamming the door behind her.

* * *

Elphaba stayed in her room for the rest of the night. She had locked the door and refused to answer her sister's knocks. She knew she shouldn't stay mad at her sister, but she felt that it was about time Nessa learned.

 _Maybe I should have said yes to Fiyero_ , Elphaba silently mused. _Nessa clearly doesn't appreciate everything I do for her, so I should have just stayed with Fiyero. Munchkinland can choose a new governor. It shouldn't make any difference to me._

Her sister continued to bang on her door and tried to turn the knob. She was clearly determined to get her older sister to open the door and let her in.

"Go away, Nessa!" Elphaba said, just as stubborn as her sister. She buried her face in her pillow and tried to block out the noise, but to no avail. It sounded like Nessa had brought a herd of elephants into the mansion and put them to work trying to break the door down, so she begrudgingly got up and went to get the door.

"What?" she snapped, clearly not ready to forgive her sister… or apologize.

Nessa glared up at her, but it wasn't as hard of a glare as Elphaba expected. The brunette looked like she really wanted to talk to her sister. With a wave of her hand, Elphaba gave Nessa her voice back.

"You have thirty clock-ticks –and yes, I _am_ counting– to say what you want before I put this door between us again. And chose your words very, _very_ carefully," Elphaba warned as Nessa coughed and cleared her throat.

"I just… I wanted to… I'm sorry," the wheelchair-bound girl said softly, looking up at her sister.

Elphaba crossed her arms and leaned against the doorframe, but she had softened slightly.

"I… I know I sounded like an ungrateful brat earlier, and I… I'm sorry. I never… I didn't… did Father really force you to go to Shiz for me?"

Elphaba turned away slightly and nodded.

"And did he really… would he… beat you?"

Elphaba realized what was happening. She didn't mean to reveal all that to her sister. She knew that Nessa would want to remember her father the way he treated her, not what went on between him and the green girl. "Nessie…"

"He really… he… oh, Fabala," Nessa whispered, reaching for her sister's hand, but Elphaba pulled away. The younger Thropp realized that her sympathy was too little too late, and she looked guiltier than ever. "I… I didn't know. I never knew what was –"

"You weren't supposed to know, Nessie," Elphaba said softly.

"I could have stopped it. I could have told Father not to hurt you. He would have done it for me."

Elphaba chose not to take that last sentence the wrong way, for fear of opening the door to a brand new argument with her sister. "I'm sorry."

It sounded weak, and both sisters knew it, but what else could have been said? Elphaba sighed softly and looked at her sister. She really did look remorseful and wanted to start a clean slate. "I forgive you, Nessie."

Nessa offered her sister a weak smile as the two shared a hug. "Fabala?"

"Hmm?"

"About Fiyero…"

Elphaba stiffened. She had completely forgotten how this whole argument started over Fiyero. "What about him?"

"If you really want to marry him –"

"Ness-"

"Fabala," Nessa said as she gently pulled away and placed her hand on top of her sister's. "Fiyero… I… I've never seen you as happy as when you are thinking or talking about Fiyero. He makes you happy. I know that not a lot makes you happy, so… I'm happy that you've finally found someone that can make you happy. If you want to renounce your position as governor and move to the Vinkus with Fiyero –"

"Nessa, you know I can't do that. I have to stay here until I either die or retire… whichever comes first."

Nessa cringed slightly, and Elphaba was about to apologize, but she continued. "Or you could have Fiyero move here to Munchkinland."

"I can't ask him to just leave his family like that."

The brunette realized that her sister was really trying to come up with excuses as to why she and Fiyero couldn't be together, but she didn't press them. She simply gave her sister's hand a gentle squeeze and a soft smile, before their moment was interrupted by a maid.

"Excuse me, Your Governorship, but you have a visitor," the maid said with a curtsy.

Elphaba blinked and looked at her clock. "It's almost ten-thirty at night. Who is here and what do they want?"

"It's… It's Prince Fiyero of the Vinkus, ma'am. He said that he wanted to talk to you."

* * *

 **And… Fiyero's back! Come on, guys. Was there really any doubt that he wouldn't be?**

 **Also, the next chapter will be the final one. I'm sorry it's so last minute, but I'm very excited to share my new story with you all.**


	16. Happy Beginning Part 2

**Here we are, everyone! The final chapter!**

 **Ravencurls: Lol! I'm sorry! (Maybe… okay, not really. MWAHAHAHA!)**

 **Raven0417: I appreciate your commitment! Thank you so much! Hope you still got some sleep!**

* * *

Elphaba completely ignored her sister calling for her as she rushed to the living room. When she got there, she saw Fiyero sitting on the sofa, looking out the window. When he sensed her presence, he turned around and immediately stood up. "Elphaba," he whispered.

"Yero…" Elphaba breathed. "What… what are you… it's late at night and you're… why…"

Before she could form a coherent sentence, Fiyero had closed the distance between them and gently pressed his lips against hers. Though surprised, Elphaba slowly melted into the kiss and relaxed.

"My parents always taught to never let a good thing go," Fiyero muttered against her lips as he gently pulled away. "I've watched you leave so many times, Elphaba. But this time… I'm not letting you go."

"But… Yero, we already talked about this," Elphaba said, turning away slightly. "If you've come all the way here just to tell me… no, you have to go back to the Vinkus."

Fiyero gently cupped her chin in his hand and turned her towards him. "Fae, I can't go back without you. And if you don't want to go with me, I'll stay here with you. I love you, Fae."

Elphaba could feel her heart begin to flutter, but she tried to squash that feeling. Wrapping her arms around herself, she shook her head. "No, Yero. You… no. You have to go back to the Vinkus. And I… I can't come with you and you can't stay here."

Fiyero would have been upset if he didn't know what Elphaba was doing. He knew she also had feelings for him. She probably didn't know what to do with those feelings, but they were definitely there.

"I have strong feelings for you, Fae. I've told you this. And I know you have feelings for me. You already know how I feel. Don't you feel the same way?"

Elphaba remained silent.

"Alright, I'll tell you what. If you can look me in the eyes and tell me that you don't love me and want me to leave, I will. No questions asked."

Elphaba looked at the prince and for a moment, Fiyero really thought Elphaba was going to give him the cold, iron boot. She opened her mouth and Fiyero knew he was done for. But surprisingly, no sound came out.

"I… I can't…" Elphaba whispered.

That made Fiyero smile a bit. "Then we can work this out, right?"

Elphaba looked very conflicted, and Fiyero gently took her hands in his. "Do you want to be with me, Fae?"

"I… I don't know exactly what I want. I… I don't want you to leave, but I… I don't know."

"Hey," Fiyero said gently. "It's okay. I'm not rushing you to make a decision."

"But you came all the way here and…"

"I didn't come here to kidnap you, Fae. I just wanted to tell you how I feel."

"You could have simply written a letter."

"Yes, but I don't think you can do this in a letter," Fiyero said as he gently kissed her again. "I know me asking you to marry me before was a bit out-of-the-blue, but I really do love you, Fae, and I want you to believe me when I tell you that."

"I… really did enjoy the time we spent together," Elphaba admitted softly, and Fiyero figured that it was a start.

"I enjoyed it, too. You got me to think and to see that I could be so much more than the brainless younger brother of the heir to the Vinkun throne. You got me to see that I wasn't happy with my life and that I had to fix it if I wanted things to get better."

Despite herself, Elphaba blushed, then yawned.

"It's late," Fiyero said through a yawn.

"I suppose you can't travel back to the Vinkus tonight?"

Fiyero gave the green girl a cheeky, yet sleepy, grin.

The governor playfully rolled her eyes. "Very well. You may stay in the guest room. We can continue this discussion in the morning."

Fiyero nodded and walked with Elphaba back up the stairs. He smiled at Nessa and the brunette smiled back, although it was very clear that she was going to want to know what was going on in the morning.

Once the whole house was dark, unbeknownst to each other, both Elphaba and Fiyero laid in their separate beds, thinking about the exact same thing; what was going to happen and where they were going to go from there.

* * *

Fiyero was never known for his patience, but he never knew waiting would be this hard. As he continued waiting, the events of the previous year played in his mind.

The following morning after he went to Munchkinland to tell Elphaba how he felt, the two had sat down and had a long discussion. They discussed both of their political positions and what would happen if they were to get married. They also discussed what would happen if they didn't (although Fiyero didn't like that part of the conversation very much).

After, Elphaba had Fiyero wait in the parlor while she spoke to her sister in her office. To this day, Fiyero still didn't know what happened in that room, but when the two girls came out, both of them were smiling, although Nessa's seemed a bit forced. All Elphaba had told him was that everything was going to work out.

After dessert after lunch, Elphaba had told him after discussing it with her sister, they had decided what they were going to do.

"I want to marry you," the green girl had confessed, and Fiyero's smile couldn't have been brighter. "But I want to wait until Nessa goes to college next year."

Although Fiyero didn't want to wait a year, he understood.

"And… I will retire from being governor."

That came like a bombshell. "What?" Fiyero had asked, blinking.

Elphaba nodded. "You said that since I helped you realize that you weren't truly happy, you want to do the same for me. I realize that I only became governor for my sister. Even if I have you here with me, there will still be the overhead pressure of being governor and… I don't want that to be a part of my life anymore. After talking it over with Nessa, she… she said she would be okay with not living in the mansion anymore. She actually confessed to me that she was tired of everything being done for her. I'm just as surprised as you are," she said, chuckling at the look on his face.

"So… does that mean you'll come to the Vinkus with me?"

"Um… I was thinking that, since you're not the crown prince, we could… move to the Emerald City."

Fiyero had never thought of that idea, but now that he did, he loved it. "I love that idea."

The two continued to discuss more logistics of what was going to happen. They ended that conversation with a brief cuddle session and whispered promises that everything would be fine. The prince knew that he would also have to discuss this with his parents, but he was positive that they would agree, especially when they saw how happy this would make him.

So now here he was, waiting at the alter to see his bride. The music began to play and he looked up just as the doors opened, revealing the person he wanted to see.

Elphaba's dress was a beautiful cream-colored gown that was simple, yet elegant. A beaded pattern was on the skirt and the skirt brushed against her ankles.

Fiyero didn't remember a thing outside of looking into Elphaba's eyes as they exchanged vows and rings. It was the happiest moment of his life, and even though he couldn't read minds, he was positive that Elphaba was thinking the exact same thing.

As he carried his wife through the threshold of the beautiful house they bought on the far side of the city, he felt like he was floating on a cloud.

"Welcome home, Mrs. Tigulaar," the prince smiled as he carried the green girl up the stairs.

"Welcome home, Mr. Tigulaar," Elphaba smiled.

Tired from the wedding and reception, the two opted to simply go to bed.

"Let's play a game," Fiyero said, out-of-the-blue.

Elphaba took a clock-tick to process what was just said, before she gave her husband a sideways look. "A game?"

Fiyero nodded. "Remember when we played 'what I like about you'?"

"What?"

"We were in Munchkinland and it was after I kissed you for the first time."

"I remember you kissing me, but I don't recall any game."

"I didn't introduce it as a game then, but I am now. I also remember that we weren't even in saying what we like about each other."

"You have the weirdest, most selective memory in Oz," Elphaba groaned, pulling the covers closer.

"So, you go first. What do you like about me?"

"Yero."

"Fae!"

"I would like to get some rest."

"No, that doesn't count. Do you want me to go first?"

Elphaba only grunted.

"Okay. I like your sparkling, shiny personality –"

"You're a sap."

"And your beautiful, raven tresses of hair –"

"You're an idiot."

"And your gorgeous smile –"

"Shut up."

"And the way your voice just bounces out of your kissable lips as you insult me."

"If I kiss you, will you stop?"

"There's only one way to find out."

Figuring that she didn't have anything to lose (other than sleep), Elphaba pushed herself up and gently pressed her lips against her husbands. Fiyero muttered something (probably something dumb, Elphaba figured) against her lips, but it was lost before it could be translated.

"Okay, now it's your turn," Fiyero said once they pulled away.

Elphaba knew that there was no way out of this now, so she sighed and gave in. "I… I like the clever ideas you come up with when you really use that no-so-brainless head of yours. I like that you care about others' feelings. And I like… I like it when you kiss me."

As if to establish that confession more, Fiyero pulled Elphaba into yet _another_ kiss. They stayed like that for a while, enjoying the feeling of being in each other's arms.

"You still owe me one more thing," Fiyero said, then looked down at his half-asleep wife. Chuckling, he gently pulled her closer and held her in his arms. "I love you," he whispered, stroking her hair.

Elphaba mumbled something, but Fiyero didn't understand, so he simply settled to go to sleep. He was pulled back when he felt Elphaba tap him on the chest. He looked down and smiled at the sight of her sleepy smile.

"I like it when you tell me you love me," Elphaba clarified from before.

"And I have no intention of stopping anytime soon," Fiyero said, and with one final kiss, the newly wed couple was asleep.

* * *

 **The End.**

 **Thank you all for journeying with me with this story. My next story is called** ** _'The Lady Knight'_** **. Here is the (working) summary:**

 ** _A very special child is born to the lady's maid of the queen of the Vinkus. From the moment she was born, she was different. But how long will it take for everyone to see that different can also mean something more? Fiyeraba._**

 **I hope to begin posting this story soon and hope to see you all there! So long!**


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